268 on the Norfolk island pine. Ded. ¥5- 
the other proportions are exactly observed ; so that 
the dimensions of every other part may be obtained. 
Cone of the Norfolk island pine. 
G represents a kind of cone brought from Nor- 
folk island in the South Seas. The tree that pro- 
duces this fruit, is there called a" pzme, and grows to 
a great height and magnitude; but the wood of the 
tree is so brittle as to be of no use in {hip building. 
Its other properties are not yet ascertained. 
I have not been able to obtain any botanical de- 
scription of this tree; but if we are to judge from the 
cone, it must constitute a new genus of plants, hi- 
therto unknown to European botanists. The cone, 
from which this figure was drawn, measured nearly 
seven inches in length. It has been called a cone; 
but it resembles no other cone yet known, in any 
other respect except the fhape alone. It has no 
scales; but the substance in which the seeds are ir- 
regularly bedded, is a set of wiry-like small woody 
fibres, firm and elastic, slightly curled, and resem- 
bling in appearance a fhort cut close bafs matt, for clea- 
ning the feet, made of bent grafs. The bulk of the 
fibres are of a dark brown, nearly black, and’curled, 
with a few interspersed through them, of a clearer 
brown, tending to red. These are not curled, and 
stronger than the others. The cone is placed here in 
what I conceive to have beea its natural position, and 
has adhered to the tree by a strong tough woody stalk 
seen at top ; but nearthe bottom part of that stalk, a, 
asmall distance from it, all round the top of the conf, 
