TEMPERA TURE. 38 r 



it becomes almost inexplicable, and should at least 

 receive some corroboration, especially when compared 

 with the results of an examination of the flowers of 

 NyuipJicca stcllata, another water-lily, in which the 

 maximum elevation was little over 1° Fahr. Of 

 the flowering heads of composite plants we have 

 accounts of but two, the capitulum of the cotton- 

 thistle {Onopordiini acanthiuui), in which about i^ 5' 

 Fahr. is recorded, and in a number of flower-buds 

 of AntJiciiiis chrysolcnca, the temperature rose to 

 2° 4' Fahr. One result of the great stimulus which 

 electrical science has recently received, it may be 

 hoped, will be an extensive series of observations, 

 with delicate appliances, to determine the variations 

 of temperature at different periods in a large number 

 of plants. 



Chemical change takes place so rapidly in the 

 fleshy fungi that we should have been quite prepared 

 to find that under certain conditions an appreciable 

 elevation of temperature has been ascertained. It 

 seems to us surprising rather that so small a rise in 

 temperature has been observed, than that such 

 changes have been recorded. The larger species of 

 Lycoperdon, when quite mature, will become sensibly 

 warmer to the hand when they exhibit signs of 

 decomposition. The finger thrust into a decaying 

 cluster of Agaricus inelleiis will obtain decided 

 evidence of increase of temperature. In these cases 



