206 MEMOIR on tHe PLANTS cattrp 
lifts, the cilia are the male organs, and the pollen contain- 
ed in the urn is the feed§. Others, again, adopt an opini- 
on entirely different, and pretend that the urn is a capfule 
which contains the feed, and that the glandular parts fitu- 
ated. under the foliola, or little leaves, of the ftellated 
branches (as in the Polytricum and Mnium) are the anthe- 
re, or organs which contain the prolifick liquor. The 
queftions which now divide the naturalifts on this fubject 
are the following : ie 
1ft, Whether the parts of which we are {peaking are 
in. fa& the fexual organs of the moffes. 
2dly, Todetermine the ufe and the nature of each fe- 
parately in regard to the fun@iions which are attributed to 
them, 
Thefe two queftions being folved, there can remain no 
doubt as to’ the mode of regeneration of thefe plants, and 
every contrary. fyftem muft fall to the ground. Of this 
I have become fully convinced by means of fome very fim- 
ple and very eafy obfervations, which may be made by 
others, with the greateft facility. 
I fhall not here attempt to refute the feveral opinions 
which | have thus flightly mentioned. Men of informati- 
on, and thofe devoid of prejudice, will eafily determine 
how far thefe opinions are worthy of confidence, particu- 
larly after they fhall have read the following detail of my 
obfervations on the fubject. 
Or 
§ Hill and Meefe. ‘Their fytem, the moft ingenious of all, isextremely plaufible, but. it 
cannot be admitted, 1ft. hecaufe the Pollen, which they confider as feeds, has all the charac- 
terifticks of a fecundating pollen, fuch as its convulfive and impetuous emiflion, its inflamma- 
bility, and its great difficulty of incorporating with water. 2d. Becaufe the Cilia not being 
uniform or conftant in all the mofles, and being fometimes found of two different {pecies in 
the fame individual, cannot be dire& organs of generation, but only (as I fhall prefently de- 
monftrate) acceflory and fecondary organs, intended to protect and facilitate the a& of fecun- 
dation. 
The other fyftems are ftill lefs admiffible, becaufe they cannot be applied to all the fpecies 
of mofits, and are liable to exceptions which are fufficient to demonftrate their fallacy. 
