Journal of Proceedings. lxxi
every part, the top being sometimes a shade darker than the gills and
stem. Every part of the fungus is rather firm, and the stem tough,
solid, and smooth. The gills are free from the stem, unusually broad
and thick, and unusually distant from each other. The top is smooth
and fleshy, and commonly furnished with a central elevation. It grows on
grassy hills, sometimes on precipitous hill-sides or lawns in exposed
wind-swept pastures, and amongst the short grass of roadsides. One
of its chief characters is that it grows in, and causes fairy rings. The
fungus is edible ; indeed it is one of the safest and most delicious of all
edible Fungi. It seems just possible, however, that occasional examples
are bad eating, and cause stomach-ache and other unpleasant symptoms;
but I am inclined to think that these indigestible examples are very
rare, and may be classed with such things as stale eggs, tough beef, high
venison, and rank butter. In fact, the high gastronomic character of
the true Fairy Ring Champignon shines with a more brilliant lustre by
contrast with a few alien individuals unfit for the table. However, in
case of accidents, errors, or inconvenience, I always advise beginners in
fungophagy to be provided with a bottle of sweet oil. If dizziness,
Fig. 6.—Fairy Ring. The ground partly shown in section, A centre, where the original
Fungus has decayed, and whence springs the underground spawn, B. B., of the
Fungus (Marasmius oreades), which gives rise to the Fairy Ring.
delirium, and cramp are found to be coming on, a draught of sweet oil is
invaluable, for if enough be taken it causes immediate vomiting, and it
tends to heal any damage that may be done to the throat and stomach
by fungus poisoning. The Fairy Ring Agaric is extremely common, and
grows from late summer to late autumn, so that it may be well esteemed as
one of the greatest boons given to us by good fairies and the great god Pan.
" The true explanation of the nature of fairy rings has been so often
printed that I am almost ashamed to refer to it before this Society.
Several persons have written to me of late to ask what my ' theory' and
what my ' hypothesis' is as to fairy rings. My reply has every time been
that I have got no ' theory' or ' hypothesis' either, for the facts are
so perfectly well known that they do away with any necessity for a
' theory.' Many Fungi have a great tendency to grow in circles. The
spawn from which Fungi spring commonly starts from a spot made up
of germinating spores. This spot becomes a centre from which the
spawn extends outwards in every direction; a crop of Fungi appears
on the outer circular line of spawn. (See Fig. 6.) Such ring-like