and Propiigaticn of marine Plants. 155 



the mature plants, I am induced to fuppofe that it may be a kind of 

 fuppuration brought on by age, and poflibly may be inftrumental in 

 facilitating the efcape, or difperfion, of the feeds. 



A plaufible remark in favour of the hypotheffs is urjred by the 

 ingenious author in the following words : " The pollen of any 

 flower, when put into water, in a very fhort time begins to move ; 

 and its particles agitate themfelves in every dire£lion, perfectly re- 

 fembiing the mod lively animalcula. Their activity in this flate 

 lafts fome time; but if the lead quantity of fait be put into the li- 

 quor, death quickly enfues, from which they never more recover. 

 This inclofed mucilaginous fruflification was therefore the only one 

 which could enfure exiftence to vegetables living chiefly in fea- 

 water, with which their mucus is found to be immifcible." 



It is very far from my intention to mifreprefent the meaning of 

 the pafTage. It ftrikes me, as alluding to a provifion which Nature 

 has made to protedl the impregnating body from the deleterious 

 effect of faline particles (which would at once deftroy the adive 

 principle of pollen), by fixing it in a menftruum which is immifci- 

 ble with fea-water. The fuppofition is ingenious. Yet is Mr. Corrca 

 deSerra aware, that this very mucilage is not free from the infeftioii 

 of fait; — that faline particles may frequently be found upon the fur- 

 faces of dried fpecimens; — that in difre6lions under the micro- 

 fcope fimilar appearances may be difcovered, which fuddenly flioot 

 into minute cryftallizations; — and that it is owing to this faline qua- 

 lity which feems intimately combined with the very texture and con- 

 ftituent parts of the Fuci, that they pofTefs the property of an hygro- 

 meter for years after they are dried*?" — From thefe circumftanccs 



it 



• I am induced, from an obfervation of Mr. Lightfoot, to attribute this circumftance 

 to the natural quality of the frond, rather than to the efleft of the fea-vi -^iter in which it 

 grew. That author remarks, that if the Fucus faccharinus be foaked in freth water, then 



X 2 dried 



