Growth of Vegetables on the bodies of Animals. 21 
Art. IV.—Views of the Process in Nature, by which, un- 
der particular circumstances, vegetables grow on the bodies 
of Living Animals. In a letter from Dr. Samuet. L. 
Mircuini, of New-York, to A. P: De CANDOLLE, Ma- 
gistrate of the city of Geneva, Professor of Natural His- 
tory, and Director of the Botanic Garden there, &c. Ne. 
‘dated November 1, 1826. 
My Dear Sir, 
In the memoir which I wrote upon parasitical animals, 
and which was published in Francis and Beck’s New- 
York Medical and Physical Journal, I noticed, among others, 
those that tormented insects, such as the Acarus, (or Mite,) 
and the Ichneumon, (or Pupivere.) I also mentioned the 
(Estrus and Hippobosca ; and the Zoophytes, called Ento- 
zoa, infesting the internal parts of other creatures. 
y present object is to consider a portion of the history 
of certain vegetables that may be deemed parasitical. But 
itis not my intention to treat of those which support them~ 
selves on living plants, like the Cuscuta, or Dadder ; the Vis- 
cum, or Misseltce ; and the Epidendrum, or Air-plant: nor 
of the fungous tribes and lichens, in their great number and 
variety. Nor is it now my purpose to offer a sentiment on 
the mucor, or mould, often overspreading the surface of or- 
ganized substances, no longer endowed with animation.— 
The observations I have to make are limited to a vegetable 
especially of insects; and lon known under the name 
of the Vegetating Wasp, or Fly. prevailing opinion 
is, that these v es are funguses sprouting from the bo- 
dies of dead insects, as may be seen in Hutton, Shaw and 
° 
of the same kind, and in a similar condition. From the 
long and semi-cylindric figure, the wrinkled and whitish sur- 
numerous feet, and the arched or curved attitude, I was in- 
duced to consider it as belonging to the species of Melo- 
