Pileus about 3 in. across, with a strong regular, obtuse umbo in the center, of a delicate mouse-gray, viscid when moist, but when dry shining, quite smooth, margin striate in consequence of the thinness of the flesh. =Stem= 6 in. or more high, about ½ in. thick in the center, attenuated upward, bulbous at the base, clothed with a few slight fibers, easily splitting, solid, rather dingy, ringless. =Volva= loose, villous like the base of the stem, splitting into several unequal lobes; the gills are broad, especially in front, narrower behind and quite free, so as to leave a space round the top of the stem, white, tinged with grayish-pink; margin slightly toothed. Smell strong and unpleasant, and taste disagreeable. _M.J.B._ VERY POISONOUS according to Letellier. _Stevenson._ =Spores= 19×9µ _W.G.S._; elliptical, smooth, 10–12×6–7µ _Massee_. Distinguished by the smoky, glutinous pileus. The measurement of the spores as given by Saccardo (19×9µ) is certainly too large, and is probably an uncorrected error. _Massee._ North Carolina, _Curtis_; South Carolina, _Ravenel_; Ontario, _Dearness_; California, _Harkness and Moore_; Ohio, _Morgan_; Mississippi, Minnesota, _Johnson_. [Illustration: Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine. PLATE LXI.] FIG. PAGE. FIG. PAGE. 1. PLUTEUS CERVINUS, 243 2. PLUTEUS CERVINUS, 245 VAR., =PLU´TEUS= Fr. (_Pluteus_, a shed. From the conical shape of the pileus.) =Stem= fleshy, distinct from the pileus. =Gills= free, rounded behind (never emarginate), at first cohering, white, then colored by the spores. Generally growing on or near trunks of trees. Resembling Volvaria in all respects but the volva. =Spores= rosy. Several of the genus are edible. Pluteus cervinus is one of our earliest, persistent, plentiful, delicious food species. The caps of those tested are tender, easily cooked and best fried. ANALYSIS OF SPECIES. * Cuticle of the pileus separating into fibrils or down, which at length disappear. ** Pileus frosted with atoms, somewhat powdery. *** Pileus naked, smooth. * _Cuticle of pileus fibrillose, etc._ =P. cervi´nus= Schaeff.—_cervus_, a deer. (Plate LXI, fig. 1, p. 242.) =Pileus= fleshy, at first campanulate, then convex or expanded, _even, glabrous, generally becoming fibrillose or slightly floccose-villose_ on the disk, occasionally cracked, variable in color. =Lamellæ= broad, somewhat ventricose, at first whitish, then flesh-colored. =Stem= equal or slightly tapering upward, firm, solid, fibrillose or subglabrous, variable in color. =Spores= broadly elliptical, 6.5–8×5–6.5µ. =Plant= 2–6 in. high. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad. =Stem= 3–6 lines thick.