he same locality, the plant will appear in very
different shades of color. There are also variations in the way in which
the volva is ruptured, as well as in the character of the stem.

The beginner will imagine he has a new species often, till he becomes
thoroughly acquainted with all the idiosyncrasies of this plant.

The pileus is smooth, even, viscid when young and moist, frequently
adorned with a few fragments of the volva, white, grayish white,
sometimes smoky-brown; whether the pileus be white, oyster-color or
smoky-brown, the center of the cap will be several shades darker than
the margin. The plant changes from a knob or egg-shape when young, to
almost flat when fully expanded. Many plants have a marked umbo on the
top of the cap and the rim of the cap may be slightly turned up.

The gills are always white, wide, ventricose, rounded next to the stem,
and free from it.

The stem is smooth, white unless in cases where the cap is dark, then
the stem of those plants are apt to be of the same color, tapering
upward as in the specimen (Fig. 11); stuffed, then hollow, inclined to
discolor when handled.

The volva of this species is quite variable and more or less buried in
the ground, where careful observation will reveal it.

One need never confound this species with the meadow mushroom, for the
spores of that are always purple-brown, while a spore-print of this will
always reveal white spores. I have seen a slight tint of pink in the
gills of the A. phalloides but the spores were always white. Until one
knows thoroughly both Lepiota naucina and A. phalloides before eating
the former he should always hunt carefully for the remains of a volva
and a bulbous base in the soil.

This plant is quite conspicuous and inviting in all of its various
shades of color. It is found in woods, and along the margin of woods,
and sometimes on lawns. It is from four to eight inches high and the
pileus from three to five inches broad. There is a personality about the
plant that renders it readily recognizable after it has once been
learned. Found from August to October.

_Amanita recutita. Fr._

THE FRESH-SKINNED AMANITA. POISONOUS.

Recutita, having a fresh or new skin. Pileus convex, then expanded, dry,
smooth, often covered with small scales, fragments of the volva; margin
almost even, gray or brownish.

The gills forming lines down the stem.

The stem stuffed, then hollow, attenuated upward, silky, white, ring
dista