456 Mr. E. J. Quexerr on the Ergot of Rye, 
very easily in a transverse or any other direction, on very little force being 
exerted for that purpose; it exhibits at this period, under the microscope, its 
surface covered with a white mealy coating, which is mixed with cotton-like 
filaments*, separating with the utmost facility when the ergot is placed in 
water and means are used for detaching it. This coating is not confined to 
the body of the grain exclusively, for the particles and filaments of which it is 
composed run over the anthers and stigmas, cementing them into one mass; 
this fact is mentioned by Leveillé, and figured by Philippar; the particles 
being found on the anther is noticed also by Mr. Smith, and they have been 
detected by myself on the glumes and palez. 
This coating, when examined microscopically, is found to be composed of 
minute bodies (sporidia), which are seen Separated from each other when they 
are removed from the ergot; but when viewed in their natural situation they 
are seen occasionally united by their extremities, forming short moniliform 
filaments; but for the most part they are found irregularly agglutinated to 
the surface, their connexion with each other being so easily disturbed if mois- 
ture be applied to them. The coating is not smoothly distributed as regards 
the surface it covers, but is composed of numerous flakes and also of sinuous 
ridges+, similar to the convolutions on the exterior of the human brain, which 
are arranged longitudinally upon the apex of the ergot, but diminish toward 
the base, and ar 
At this stage 
and also the two scales at its base 
n be made, it shows scarcely any- 
thing but sporidia arranged about a very small and soft axis, which is of a 
axis is the grain very much altered 
from its normal condition, and presenting 
which retain their healthy character. 
scarcely any analogy to the others 
of the true coating, having seldom any granules within them, 
i and occurring on many parts of the grass, and not 
