Miscellaneous. 485 



place cited above. He has made moreover a very curious observa- 

 tion, viz. that the fruit is accompanied by, and at length connate 

 with, a red globule of a similar form but smaller size, which he con- 

 siders as the male fructification. As the female capsule advances 

 to maturity, the male approaches it, becomes elongated, and at 

 length is united with it, emptying the pollen-globules into the female 

 fruit. This process being accomplished it falls off. 



Whatever may be thought of this, his account of the development 

 of the spores formed within the capsule, which are about five in 

 number, and disposed round an aperture occasioned probably by the 

 pressure of the male capsule, is not less wonderful. From each of 

 the seeds a hyaline thread is developed, formed of the globules which 

 press forward from the inside of the seed ; this at length becomes 

 green, and consists of a very tender hyaline tube filled with a moni- 

 liform row of globules. Finally, the uppermost globule is elongated 

 into a new tube, which is of a paler green than the rest of the thread. 

 The capsule is now no longer visible, and the whole resembles a 

 Rivularia which soon assumes the true form of Chcetophora tuber- 

 culosa. 



The above observations are at least curious, and if there has been 

 no error, are of much importance. We recommend them to the 

 consideration of some of our practical algologists, hoping that they 

 may be able to throw some light upon the matter. — Flora, 1842, 

 p. 513. 



LECIDEA WAHLENBERGII. 



To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Gentlemen, — I have pleasure in being able to add to the number 

 of British Lichens already published, the " Lecidea Wahlenbergii," 

 Ach., which I found last July upon the black soil among the loose 

 rocks on the west side of Ben Nevis, Inverness-shire, above Loch 

 Nevis. A single specimen is all I could find, but that in fine order. 

 I should wish you to make this public in the ' Annals and Mag. of 

 Nat. History/ 



Yours obediently, 



2 Beulah Place, Harrogate, Yorkshire. Fred. Bainbridge. 



LETTERS FROM RAY TO SIR HANS SLOANE. 



[A volume of original letters, just published by the Camden So- 

 ciety, with notes and illustrations by Sir Henry Ellis, contains 

 several from our illustrious countryman John Ray, some of which, as 

 being interesting to the lovers of natural history, we shall take the 

 liberty to extract. — Ed.] 



[MS. Sloan. Brit. Mus. 405G. fol. 132. Orig.~] 



Sir, — Not long since one Mr. Pratt, a gardener, a person (as 

 himself told me) well known to you, who now lives with Sir Thomas 

 Willughby, son and heir of my worthy friend and benefactor Francis 

 Willughby, esquire, being heer with me, and hearing that you were 

 returned from Jamayca, and had brought over with you, among other 

 naturall rarities, diverse seeds, not common, by yourself discovered 



