STUDY XI. 1S9 



îo thrive on the brink of waters deftitute of cur- 

 rent, are wafted by fails - 3 fuch is the feed of a fca- 

 bious plant of our own country, which grows on 

 the border of morafles. Befides, the difference of 

 this from the other fpecies of fcabious, whofe feeds 

 are crowned with pronged hairs, in order to fatten 

 themfelves on the hairs of the animals which tranf- 

 plant them, the one, laft-mentioned, is overtopped 

 by a half-bladder open, and reding on it's fummit 

 like a gondola. This half-bladder ferves it, ac 

 once, as a fail by water, and as a vehicle by land. 

 Thefe mêans of natation, though endlefsly varied, 

 are common, in all climates, to the grains ot 

 aquatic plants. 



The almond of the river of the Amazons, known 

 by the name of totoca> is inclofed in two ihells, 

 exactly fimilar to thofe of an oyfler. Another 

 fruit on the ftrand of the fame river, which abounds 

 in almond-trees, has a perfect refemblance, in co^ 

 lour and form, to an earthen pot, with it's little 

 lid * ; it goes by the name of the monkey's por- 

 ridge-pot. Others are formed into large bottles, 

 as the fruit of the great gourd. There are feeds 

 incrufted in a coat of wax, which - makes them 

 float, fuch are the berries of the wax-tree, or royal 



* See engravings of raoft of thofe feeds, in John dc Laefs 

 Hiftory of the We ft -Indies^ 



pimenta 



