fe|)S STUDIES OF NATURE. 



pofed, aflume a motion peculiar itfelf, which com T 

 municates a circular movement to the water, and 

 precipitates to the centre of each of them all the 

 fmall bodies which are floating around. If thofe 

 wonderful expanfions are difturbed by any fudden 

 {hock, immediately every filament contracts, all 

 the rays clofe, and all the pyramids retire into 

 their cavities ; for thofe pretended flowers are po- 

 ly pufe s . 



There are, in certain plants, parts which may be 

 confidered as characters of uncultivated Nature, but 

 which are, like all the reft of her Works, evident 

 proofs of the wifdom and providence of her Au- 

 thor ; fuch are the prickles. Their forms are 

 varied withoqt end, efpecially in hot countries. 

 Some are iliaped like faws, like hooks, like needles, 

 like the head of a halberd, and like caltrops. 

 Some of them are round like awls, fome triangu- 

 lar, like the lhoemaker's piercer, and fome flat- 

 tened like a lancet. There is no lefs variety in 

 their aggregations. Some are arranged on the 

 leaves in balls, like thofe of the opuntia -, others 

 in ftripes, like thofe of the Peruvian taper. Some 

 are invifible, as thofe of the fhrub of the Antilles, 

 known by the name of captain's-wood. The leaves 

 of this formidable plant, appear, on the upper 

 fide, fmooth and fhining ; but they are covered;, 

 on the under fide, with very delicate prickles, 



which 



