FUNGI IN PAIRS. 65
Amongst Agarics there are undoubtedly Amanita phalloides
(Fries.) and Amanita mappa (Bat.) which may be distinguished
from each other in their common forms, but where a large
number come together, there will often be found specimens
which could not with certainty be referred to either species.
Then again there are Clitopilus orcella (Bull) and Clitopilus
prunulus (Scop.), which approach each other so closely in some
forms as to justify those mycologists in their doubts, who
consider them one species. Nor can we forget such species as
Coprinus comatus (Fr.) and Coprinus ovalis (Sch.), although the
comatus form is comparatively permanent. Some of the species
of Russula are distinct enough in their typical forms, but are
very puzzling when their characteristics are reduced to the
lowest point, and the species seem to coalesce. This is often the
case with Russula citrina (Gill) and Russula granulosa (Cooke)
from which Russula ochroleuca (Pers.) is chiefly distinguished by
the rugose greyish stem. Then again Russula emetica (Fries) and
the red forms of Russula fragilis (Pers) become critical when the
flesh of the former does not appear reddish beneath the cuticle.
We need not allude to Hygrophorus latus (Fries) and Hygrophorus
houghtoni (B. and Br,), since no one will now contend against
their specific identity. If one might refer to such a genus as
Inocybe, which seems full of doubts, then Inocybe pyriodora (Pers.)
and Inocybe incarnata (Bres) are occasionally indistinguishable.
We can scarcely introduce Stropharia squamosa (Fries.) and
Stropharia thrausta (Kalch) as a case in point, because very few
persons regard them as distinct species. It would be easy to
multiply instances of this kind, but two species must not be
forgotten, if they are really distinct, and these are Pholiota
terrigena (Fries.) and Pholiota cookei (Fries.). Surely if we are
right in our determination of the former, the latter is only a
slender variety. There are two or three species of Nolanea, with
a strong fishy odour, such as Naucoria piceus (Kalch) and
Nolanea pisciodora (Ces), often very distinct in appearance, but
occasionally very suspiciously alike. These are a few of the
"curiosities of mycology," or, we might call them "puzzles for
the curious," which will trouble the student, but should not
discourage him, but rather stimulate to a further and better
knowledge of the secrets of Isis, on whose statues of old was
inscribed the legend "I am all that has been, that shall be, and
no mortal has lifted the veil that covers me."