atmost，oneortwowindowsopenedonaworldthathasnotyetbeenexploredwithalltheattentionwhichitdeserves。
Aworsedestinyawaitsthemushrooms，whichweremybotanicaljoysfrommyearliestyouth。Ihaveneverceasedtokeepupmyacquaintancewiththem。Tothisday，forthemerepleasureofrenewingit，Igo，withahaltingstep，tovisitthemonfineautumnafternoons。Istilllovetoseethefatheadsoftheboletes，thetopsoftheagaricsandthecoral—redtuftsoftheclavariaemergeabovethecarpetpinkwithheather。
AtSerignan，mylaststage，theyhavelavishedtheirseductionsuponme，soplentifularetheyontheneighboringhills，woodedwithholmoak，arbutusandrosemary。Duringtheselatteryears，theirwealthinspiredmewithaninsaneplan:thatofcollectingineffigywhatIwasunabletokeepinitsnaturalstateinanherbarium。Ibegantopaintlifesizepicturesofallthespeciesinmyneighborhood，fromthelargesttothesmallest。Iknownothingoftheartofpaintinginwatercolors。Nomatter:whatI
haveneverseenpracticedIwillinvent，managingbadlyatfirst，thenalittlebetter，atlastwell。Thepaintbrushwillmakeachangefromthestrainofmydailyoutputofprose。
Iendbypossessingsomehundredsofsheetsrepresentingthemushroomsoftheneighborhoodintheirnaturalsizeandcolors。Mycollectionhasacertainvalue。Ifitlacksartisticfinish，atleastitboaststhemeritofaccuracy。ItbringsmevisitorsonSundays，countrypeople，whostareatitinallsimplicity，astoundedthatsuchfinepicturesshouldbedonebyhand，withoutacopyandwithoutcompasses。Theyatoncerecognizethemushroomrepresented;theytellmeitspopularname，thusprovingthefidelityofmybrush。
Well，whatwillbecomeofthisgreatpileofdrawings，theobjectofsomuchwork？Nodoubt，myfamilywillkeeptherelicforatime;but，soonerorlater，takinguptoomuchspace，shiftedfromcupboardtocupboard，fromattictoattic，gnawedbytherats，foxed，dirtiedandstained，itwillfallintothehandsofsomelittlegrandnephewswhowillcutitintosquarestomakepapercaps。Itistheuniversalrule。Whatourillusionshavemostfondlycherishedcomestoapitifulendundertheclawsofruthlessreality。
CHAPTERXVIIIINSECTSANDMUSHROOMS
Itwereoutofplacetorecallmylongrelationswiththeboleteandtheagariciftheinsectdidnothereenterintoaquestionofgraveinterest。Severalmushroomsareedible，someevenenjoyagreatreputation;othersareformidablepoisons。Shortofbotanicalstudiesthatarenotwithineverybody’sreach，howarewetodistinguishtheharmlessfromthevenomous？Thereisawidespreadbeliefwhichsaysthatanymushroomwhichinsects，or，morefrequently，their1arvae，theirgrubs，acceptcanbeacceptedwithoutfear;anymushroomwhichtheyrefusemustberefused。Whatiswholesomefoodforthemcannotfailtobethesameforus;whatispoisonoustothemisboundtobeequallybanefultoourselves。
Thisishowpeopleargue，withapparentlogic，butwithoutreflectingupontheverydifferentcapabilitiesofstomachsinthematterofdiet。Afterall，maytherenotbesomejustificationforthebelief？ThatiswhatIpurposeexamining。
Theinsect，especiallyinthelarvalstage，istheprincipaldevourerofthemushroom。Wemustdistinguishbetweentwogroupsofconsumers。Thefirstreallyeat，thatistosay，theybreaktheirfoodintolittlebits，chewitandreduceittoamouthfulwhichisswallowedjustasitis;theseconddrink，afterfirstturningtheirfoodintoabroth，likethebluebottles。Thefirstarethelessnumerous。Confiningmyselftotheresultsofmyobservationsintheneighborhood，Icount，alltold，inthegroupofchewers，fourbeetlesandamothcaterpillar。Tothesemaybeaddedthemollusk，asrepresentedbyaslug，or，morespecifically，anarion，ofmediumsize，brownandadornedwitharededgetohismantle。Amodestcorporation，whenallissaid，butactiveandenterprising，especiallythemoth。
Attheheadofthemushroomlovingbeetles，IwillplaceaStaphylinid（Oxyporusrufus，LIN。），prettilygarbedinred，blueandblack。Togetherwithhislarva，whichwalkswiththeaidofacrutchatitsback，hehauntsthefungusofthepoplar（Pholiotaaegerita，FRIES）。Hespecializesinanexclusivediet。Ioftencomeacrosshim，bothinspringandautumn，andneveranyelsewherethanonthismushroom。Forthatmatter，hehadmadeawisechoice，theepicure！Thispopularfungusisoneofourbestmushrooms，despiteitscolorofadoubtfulwhite，itsskinwhichisoftenwrinkledanditsgillssoiledwithrustybrownatthespores。Wemustnotjudgepeoplebyappearances，normushroomseither。Thisone，magnificentinshapeandcolor，ispoisonous;thatother，sopoortolookat，isexcellent。
Herearetwomorespecialistbeetles，bothofsmallsize。OneistheTriplax（Triplaxrussica，LIN。），whohasanorangeheadandcorseletandblackwing—cases。Hisgrubtacklesthehispidpolyporus（Polyporushispidus，BULL。），acoarseandsubstantialdish，bristlingatitstopwithstiffhairsandclingingbyitssidetotheoldtrunksofmulberrytrees，sometimesalsoofwalnutandelmtrees。Theotheristhecinnamon—coloredAnisotoma（Anisotomacinnamomea，PANZ。）。Hislarvalivesexclusivelyintruffles。
Themostinterestingofthemushroom—eatingbeetlesistheBolboceras（Bolbocerasgallicus，MUL。）。Ihavedescribedelsewherehismannerofliving，hislittlesongthatsoundslikethechirpingofabird，hisperpendicularwellssunkinsearchofanundergroundmushroom（Hydnocystisorenaria，TUL。），whichconstituteshisregularnourishment。Heisalsoanardentloveroftruffles。I
havetakenfrombetweenhislegs，atthebottomofhismanorhouse，arealtrufflethesizeofahazelnut（TuberRequienii，TUL。）。I
triedtorearhiminordertomaketheacquaintanceofhisgrub;I
housedhiminalargeearthenpanfilledwithfreshsandandenclosedinabellcover。Possessingneitherhydnocistesnortruffles，Iservedhimupsundrymushroomsofaratherfirmconsistency，likethoseofhischoice。Herefusedthemall，helvellaeandclavariae，chanterellesandpezizaealike。
Witharhizopogon，asortoflittlefungoidpotato，whichisfrequentinpinewoodsatamoderatedepthandsometimesevenonthesurface，Iachievedcompletesuccess。Ihadstrewnahandfulofthemonthesandofmybreedingpan。Atnightfall，IoftensurprisedtheBolbocerasissuingfromhiswell，exploringthestretchofsand，choosingapiecenottoobigforhisstrengthandgentlyrollingittowardshisabode。Hewouldgoinagain，leavingtherhizopogon，whichwastoolargetotakeinside，onthethreshold，whereitservedthepurposeofadoor。Nextday，I
foundthepiecegnawed，butonlyontheunderside。
TheBolbocerasdoesnotlikeeatinginpublic，intheopenair;heneedsthediscreetretirementofhiscrypt。Whenhefailstofindhisfoodbyburrowingunderground，hecomesuptolookforitonthesurface。Meetingwithamorseltohistaste，hetakesithomewhenitssizepermits;ifnot，heleavesitonthethresholdofhisburrowandgnawsatitfrombelow，withoutreappearingoutside。Uptothepresent，hydnocistes，trufflesandrhizopogaaretheonlyfoodthatIhaveknownhimtoeat。ThesethreeinstancestellusatanyratethattheBolbocerasisnotaspecialistliketheOxyporusandtheTriplax;heisabletovaryhisdiet;perhapshefeedsonalltheundergroundmushroomsindiscriminately。
Themothenlargesherdomainyetfurther。Hercaterpillarisagrubfiveorsixmillimeterslong，white，withablackshinyhead。
Coloniesofitaboundinmostmushrooms。Itattacksbypreferencethetopofthestem，forepicureanreasonsthatescapeme;thenceitspreadsthroughoutthecap。Itisthehabitualboarderoftheboletes，agarics，lactariiandrussulie。Apartfromcertainspeciesandcertaingroups，everythingsuitsit。Thispunygrub，whichwillspinitselfaninfinitesimalcocoonofwhitesilkunderthepieceattackedandwilllaterbecomeaninsignificantmoth，istheprimordialravager。
Letusnextmentionthearion，thatvoraciousmolluskwhoalsotacklesmostmushroomsofsomesize。Hedigshimselfspaciousnichesinsidethemandtheresitsblissfullyeating。Fewinnumbers，comparedwiththeotherdevourers，heusuallysetsuphousealone。Hehas，bywayofasetofjaws，apowerfulplanewhichcreatesgreatbreachesintheobjectofhisdepredations。Itishewhosehavocismostapparent。
Nowallthesegnawerscanberecognizedbytheirleavings，suchascrumbsandwormholes。Theydigcleanpassages，theyslashandcrumblewithoutaslimytrail，theyarethepinkers。Theothers，theliquefiers，arethechemists;theydissolvetheirfoodbymeansofreagents。AllarethegrubsoffliesandbelongtothecommonaltyoftheMuscidae。Manyaretheirspecies。Todistinguishthemfromoneanotherbyrearingtheminordertoobtaintheperfectstagewouldinvolveagreatexpenditureoftimetolittleprofit。Wewilldescribethembythegeneralnameofmaggots。
Toseethematwork，Iselect，asthefieldofexploitation，thesatanicbolete（BoletusSatanas，LENZ。），oneofthelargestmushroomsthatIcangatherinmyneighborhood。Ithasadirty—
whitecap;themouthsofthetubesareabrightorange—red;thestemswellsintoabulbwithadelicatenetworkofcarmineveins。
Idivideaperfectlysoundspecimenintoequalpartsandplacetheseintwodeepplates，putsidebyside。Oneofthehalvesisleftasitis:itwillactasacontrol，atermofcomparison。Theotherhalfreceivesontheporesofitsundersurfaceacoupleofdozenmaggotstakenfromasecondboleteinfullprocessofdecomposition。
Thedissolvingactionofthegrubassertsitselfontheverydaywhereonthesepreparationsaremade。Theundersurface，originallyabrightred，turnsbrownandrunsineverydirectionintoamassofdarkstalactites。Soon，thefleshofthecapisattackedand，inafewdays，becomesagruelsimilartoliquidasphalt。Itisalmostasfluidaswater。Inthisbroththemaggotswallow，wrigglingtheirbodiesand，fromtimetotime，stickingthebreathingholesintheirsternsabovethewater。Itisanexactrepetitionofwhattheliquefiersofmeat，thegrubsofthegreyfleshflyandthebluebottle，havelatelyshownus。Asforthesecondhalfofthebolete，thehalfwhichIdidnotcolonizewithvermin，itremainscompact，thesameasitwasatthestart，exceptthatitsappearanceisalittlewitheredbyevaporation。Thefluidity，therefore，isreallyandtrulytheworkofthegrubsandofthemalone。
Doesthisliquefactionimplyaneasychange？Onewouldthinksoatfirst，onseeinghowquicklyitisperformedbytheactionofthegrubs。Moreover，certainmushrooms，thecoprini，liquefyspontaneouslyandturnintoablackfluid。Oneofthembearstheexpressivenameoftheinkymushroom（Coprinusatramentarius，BULL。）anddissolvesintoinkofitsownaccord。Theconversion，incertaincases，issingularlyrapid。Oneday，Iwasdrawingoneofourprettiestcoprini（Coprinussterquilinus，FRIES），whichcomesoutofalittlepurseorvolva。Myworkwasbarelydone，acoupleofhoursaftergatheringthefreshmushroom，whenthemodelhaddisappeared，leavingnothingbutapoolofinkuponthetable。
HadIprocrastinatedeversolittle，IshouldnothavehadtimetofinishandIshouldhavelostarareandinterestingfind。
Thisdoesnotmeanthattheothermushrooms，especiallytheboletes，areofephemeraldurationandlackinginconsistency。I
madetheattemptwiththeediblebolete（Boletusedulis，BULL。），thefamouscepeofourkitchens，sohighlyesteemedforitsflavor。
IwaswonderingwhetheritwouldnotbepossibletoobtainfromitasortofLiebig’sextractoffungus，whichwouldbeusefulincooking。Withthispurpose，Ihadsomeofthesemushroomscutintosmallpiecesandboiled，ontheonehand，inplainwaterand，ontheother，inwaterwithbicarbonateofsodaadded。Thetreatmentlastedtwowholedays。Thefleshoftheboletewasindomitable。
Toattackit，Ishouldhavehadtoemployviolentdrugs，whichwereinadmissibleinviewoftheresulttobeattained。
Whatprolongedboilingandtheaidofbicarbonateofsodaleavealmostintactthefly’sgrubsquicklyturnintofluid，evenasthefleshwormsfluidifyhard—boiledwhiteofegg。Thisisdoneineachinstancewithoutviolence，probablybymeansofaspecialpepsin，whichisnotthesameinbothcases。Theliquefierofmeathasitsownbrand;theliquefieroftheboletehasanothersort。
Theplate，then，isfilledwithadark，runninggruel，notunliketarinappearance。Ifweallowevaporationfreecourse，thebrothsets，intoahard，easilycrumbledslab，somethingliketoffee。
Caughtinthismatrix，grubsandpupaperish，incapableoffreeingthemselves。Analyticalchemistryhasprovedfataltothem。Theconditionsarequitedifferentwhentheattackisdeliveredonthesurfaceoftheground。Graduallyabsorbedbythesoil，theexcessofliquiddisappears，leavingthecolonistsfree。Inmydishes，itcollectsindefinitely，killingtheinhabitantswhenitdriesupintoasolidlayer。
Thepurplebolete（Boletuspurpureus，FRIES），whensubjectedtotheactionofthemaggots，givesthesameresultastheSatanicbolete，namely，ablackgruel。Notethatbothmushroomsturnblueifbrokenandespeciallyifcrushed。Withtheediblebolete，whosefleshinvariablyremainswhitewhencut，theproductofitsliquefactionbytheverminisaverypalebrown。Withtheoronge，orimperialmushroom，theresultisabrothwhichtheeyewouldtakeforathinapricotjam。Testsmadewithsundryothermushroomsconfirmtherule:all，whenattackedbythemaggot，turnintoamoreorlessfluidmess，whichvariesincolor。
Whydothetwoboleteswiththeredtubes，thepurpleboleteandthesatanicbolete，changeintoadarkgruel？Ihaveaninklingofthereason。Bothofthemturnblue，withanadmixtureofgreen。A
thirdspecies，thebluishbolete（Boletuscyanescens，BULL。，var。
lacteus，LEVEILLE），possessremarkablecolorsensitiveness。Bruiseiteversolightly，nomatterwhere，onthecap，thestem，thetubesoftheundersurface:forthwith，thewoundedpart，originallyapurewhite，istintedabeautifulblue。Placethisboleteinanatmosphereofcarbonicacidgas。Wecannowknockit，crushit，reduceittopulp;andthebluenolongershows。Butextractafragmentfromthecrushedmass:immediately，atthefirstcontactwiththeair，thematterturnsamostgloriousblue。Itremindsusofaprocessemployedindyeing。Theindigoofcommerce，steepedinwatercontaininglimeandsulfateofiron，orcopperas，isdeprivedofapartofitsoxygen;itlosesitscolorandbecomessolubleinwater，asitwasintheoriginalindigoplant，beforethetreatmentwhichtheplantunderwent。Acolorlessliquidresults。Exposeadropofthisliquidtotheair。Straightway，oxidizationworksupontheproduct:theindigoisreformed，insolubleandblue。
Thisisexactlywhatweseeintheboletesthatturnbluesoreadily。Couldthey，infact，containsoluble，colorlessindigo？
Onewouldsayso，ifcertainpropertiesdidnotgivegroundsfordoubt。Whensubjectedtoprolongedexposuretotheair，theboletesthatareapttoturnblue，particularlythemostremarkable，Boletuscyanescens，losetheircolor，insteadofretainingthedeepbluewhichwouldbeasignofrealindigo。Bethisasitmay，thesemushroomscontainacoloringprinciplewhichisveryliabletochangeundertheinfluenceoftheair。Whyshouldwenotregarditasthecauseoftheblacktintwhenthemaggotshaveliquefiedtheboleteswhichturnblue？Theothers，thosewiththewhiteflesh，theediblebolete，forinstance，donotassumethisasphaltyappearanceoncetheyareliquefiedbythegrubs。
Alltheboletesthatchangetobluewhenbrokenhaveabadreputation;thebookstreatthemasdangerous，oratleastopentosuspicion。ThenameofSatanicawardedtooneofthemisanampleproofofourfears。Thecaterpillarandthemaggotareofanotheropinion:theygreedilydevourwhatweholdindread。Nowhereisastrangething:thosepassionatedevoteesofBoletusSatanasabsolutelyrefusecertainmushroomswhichwefinddelightfuleating，includingthemostcelebratedofall，theoronge，theimperialmushroom，whichtheRomansoftheempire，pastmastersingluttony，calledthefoodofthegods，cibusdeorum，theagaricoftheCaesars，Agaricuscaesareus。Itisthemostelegantofallourmushrooms。Whenitpreparestomakeitsappearancebyliftingthefissuredearth，itisahandsomeovoidformedbytheouterwrapper，thevolva。Thenthispursegentlytearsandthejaggedopeningpartlyrevealsaglobularobjectofamagnificentorange。Takeahen’segg，boilit，removetheshell:whatremainswillbetheimperialmushroominitspurse。Removeapartofthewhiteatthetop，uncoveringalittleoftheyolk。Thenyouhavethenascentimperial。Thelikenessisperfect。Andsothepeopleofmypart，struckbytheresemblance，callthismushroomlouroussetd’iou，or，inotherwords，yolkofegg。Soon，thecapemergesentirelyandspreadsintoadisksofterthansatintothetouchandrichertotheeyethanallthefruitoftheHesperides。Appearingamidthepinkheather，itisanentrancingobject。
Well，thisgorgeousagaric（Amanitacaesarea，SCOP。），thisfoodofthegodsthemaggotabsolutelyrefuses。Myfrequentexaminationshavenevershownmeanimperialattackedbythegrubsinthefield。
Itneedsimprisonmentinajarandtheabsenceofothervictualstoprovoketheattempt;andeventhenthetreaclehardlyseemstosuitthem。Aftertheliquefaction，thegrubstrytomakeoff，showingthatthefareisnottotheirliking。TheMolluskalso，theArion，isanythingbutanardentconsumer。Passingclosetoanimperialmushroomandfindingnothingbetter，hestopsandtakesabite，withoutlingering。If，therefore，werequiredtheevidenceoftheinsect，orevenoftheSlug，toknowwhichmushroomsaregoodtoeat，weshouldrefusethebestofthemall。Thoughrespectedbythevermin，thegloriousimperialisneverthelessruinednotbylarvae，butbyaparasiticfungus，theMycogonerosea，whichspreadsinapurplystainandturnsitintoaputridmass。ThisistheonlydespoilerthatIknowittopossess。
Asecondamanita，thesheathedamanita（Amanitavaginata，BULL。），prettilystreakedontheedgesofthecap，isofanexquisiteflavor，almostequaltotheimperial。Itiscalledloupichotgris，thegrayling，intheseparts，becauseofitscoloring，whichisusuallyanashengray。NeitherthemaggotnortheevenmoreenterprisingMothevertouchesit。Theylikewiserefusethemottledamanita（Amanitapantherina，D。C。），thevernalamanita（Amanitaverna，FRIES）andthelemon—yellowamanita（Amanitacitrina，SCHAEFF。），allthreeofwhicharepoisonous。Inshort，whetheritbetousadeliciousdishoradeadlypoison，noamanitaisacceptedbythegrubs。Thearionalonesometimesbitesatit。
Thecauseoftherefusalescapesus。Itwerevain，speakingofthemottledamanita，forinstance，toallegeasareasonthepresenceofanalkaloidfataltothegrubs，forweshouldhavetoaskourselveswhytheimperial，theamanitaoftheCaesars，whichiswhollyfreefrompoison，isrejectednolessuncompromisinglythanthevenomousspecies。Coulditperhapsbelackofrelish，adeficiencyofseasoningforstimulatingtheappetite？Inpointoffact，wheneatenraw，theamanitashavenoparticularflavor。
Whatshallwelearnfromthesharper—flavoredmushrooms？Here，inthepinewoods，isthewoollymilkmushroom（Lactariustorminosus，SCHAEFF。），turnedinattheedgesandwrappedinacurlyfleece。
Itstasteisbiting，worsethanCayennepepper。Torminosusmeanscolicproducing。Thenameisverysuitable。Unlesshepossessedastomachbuiltforthepurpose，themanwhotouchedsuchfoodasthiswouldhaveasingularlybadtimebeforehim。Well，thatstomachtheverminpossess:theyrevelinthepungencyofthewoollymilkmushroomevenasthespurgecaterpillarbrowseswithdelightontheloathsomeleavesoftheeuphorbiae。Asforus，wemightaswell，ineithercase，eatlivecoals。
Isacondimentofthiskindnecessarytothegrubs？Notatall。
Here，inthesamepinewoods，isthe\"delicious\"milkmushroom（Lactariusdeliciosus，LIN。），agloriousorange—redcrater，adornedwithconcentriczones。Ifbruised，itassumesaverdigrishue，possiblyavariantoftheindigotintpeculiartotheblue—turningboletes。Fromitsfleshlaidbarebybeingbrokenorcutoozeblood—red