52 DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLOWER 
grumous contents, escaping easily on pressure. A short time 
afterwards and the cavity of the cell is distinct, and is filled 
by a grumous opaque elastic semi-adhering mass, consisting 
of some large, and an immense quantity of small granules or 
molecules. "The walls of the cell after this undergo little 
change, the mass passes from a fuscous mucilaginous granu- 
lar mass, into a similar mass contained in a positive and entire 
membranous sac ; I believe this sac may be formed from the 
circumference of the grumous mass, its not presenting cel- 
lular processes between the massules is very curious ? 
'The next stage presents an aggregation of the granules of 
both sorts, all of which are lightly and almost invisibly held 
together; the sac of the membrane becomes more dense 
and evident, and the massules of granules shew a decided 
tendency to become contained in a cell—the pollen grain. 
The pollen mass has now arrived at the form it is destined 
to have, the subsequent changes only affect the yellow co- 
louring of the membrane, and the greater distinctness and 
crowding of the pollen grain cells. 
Such I believe to be the original formation of the an. 
ther; I am tolerably certain, the formation of the cell may 
take place alone by what I have called the dissolution into 
grumous mucilage of its interior, independent of any sepa- 
ration of that which previously formed the continuity of the 
tissue from the body of the anther. 
As I have explained it, it agrees well enough with other 
formations, which I believe consist first of a separation of a 
mass from the body of the anthers, in which mass the pollen 
grains are developed. Beyond this it has little similarity or 
affinity with the usual plan. 
The only explanation to be given I conceive is the one I 
formerly offered, and is this, that instead of the parent cells 
being many and only developing 3 or 4 grains, there is only 
one, developing an indefinite number. Passages (?) to this 
exist perhaps in certain Mimosæ, etc. The only anomaly 
in this is, that the parent cell does not disappear: of this I 
believe instances are known, as well as of their being alone 
in lines. It is difficult to reconcile this structure with 
