156 ie Col. VELLEY' $ Remarks on tbe Nature 
jt appears to be highly probable, that the pollen of marine plants, if 
fuch a body in reality may exift in the-mucilage, muft be totally dif- 
ferent in its quality from the pollen which carries on fo important 
a funétion in the fexual fyftem: it muft alfo be totally different in _ 
its fübftance, becaufe it is not to be difcovered by the eee mag- 
nifving powers. — * 
- But, giving the utmoft cn to the hypothefis; and admitió that 
this mucous pollen is attendant upon all the marine plants, either 
internally or externally; ftill it muft contain fome fubtile vapour, 
capable of paffing through the coriaceous texture either of the tu- 
bercular pericarps or of the frond. - And. after all, what does this 
amount fo? Nothing. more than that fome undefined. vivifying 
principle, refident in the internal fabüerde x rhe plant, brings on 
a {tate of impregnation, and anfwers every purpofe - which the more 
. obvious mechanical laws of florefcence produce. externally in an at- 
mofpltcisiy yee neum pediments exü so windonitheie Bee eb- 
“After what has ene nifeady prie e it may y appear almoft — 
fluous to produce any further arguments againft the florefcence fup- 
 poíed to be concealed in the inflated parts of the veficular Fuci, 
I fhall therefore only briefly add, that the Fucus ferratus is. entirely 
deftitute of the air-bladders, and yet produces its fruétification in a 
fimilar manner to the Fucus veficulofus z. but the advocates for floref- | 
cence may attribute the impregnation to the fmall. external fila- 
ments fo often noticed. Fucus filiquofus and F. nodofus are perfectly 
free from thofe minute fafcicles; but then again the impregnation 
may poflibly be afcribed to the trachez in the veficles or inflated 
leaves. What then remains to be faid of the Fucus canaliculatus, 
dried in the fun, and akedi depolited, i it will in a fhort time be. covered wih: a | white 
eflorefcence of fea falt.. — : eue 
bcd... ri ox | | | hich 
Hi 
