S. Limonium and S. spathulata, — were cai'efully examined and com- 

 pared with the one already described. In S. Limonium, the cellular 

 body within the ovarium proceeding from the styles, is attached to the 

 apex of the ovule, but so slightly, that I have not succeeded in dis- 

 secting away the surrounding parts without breaking the connexion. 

 The secundine has no conical cavity at its apex, like that seen in S. 

 Armeria, and there is no appearance of penetration : on the contrary, 

 the suspensor merely covers the apex of the ovule, like a pentagonal 

 cap. A similar structure is observable in S. spathulata, only that the 

 suspensor is crooked, and obliquely attached to the ovule. In both 

 these cases, the connexion exists previously to the expansion of the 

 flower-bud. 



Having paid some attention to Tropaeolum majus since the essay 

 on that plant was republished (Phytol. 659), candour obliges me to 

 confess that I have not been able to verify some of the statements con- 

 tained in Dr. Giraud's paper ; and I am compelled either to question 

 the aptitude of his observations, or to admit my own inability to fol- 

 low him in the path which he has trod. I do not deny that his con- 

 clusions are just, but they seem to me to be founded upon data less 

 cogent than actual demonstration. I am not even satisfied that he is 

 correct in saying that the ovule is anatropous : if it be so, the change 

 must take place at a much earlier period than the one which he indi- 

 cates. But admitting, for the present, that his remarks are accurate, 

 I would observe that the ovule of Tropaeolum is by no means, as 

 Schleiden himself confesses, an easy subject for investigation ; and 

 that whoever succeeds with that, may calculate on still greater suc- 

 cess in the examination of those which I have endeavoured to illus- 

 trate: and to such an one I would very willingly resign the task, as 

 much more competent than myself to explore these secrets of Nature. 

 It is remarkable enough that Tropaeolum majus has been selected by 

 Schleiden as one of the examples in support of his doctrine, and he 

 has given figures which exhibit the pollen-tube in actual communi- 

 cation with the ovule, introduced within the micropyle. It is to be 

 feared that Schleiden is not the only person chargeable with having 

 imagined rather than actually seen some things connected with this 

 intricate subject ; and the "necessity of adopting a good method of 

 oft-repeated, scrupulous and patient observation" cannot be too much 

 insisted upon. In no case can the microscope be safely trusted, un- 

 less the parts can be separated and displayed by careful manipulation. 

 Much of the knowledge that is acquired while engaged in dissecting 

 objects under the microscope, is otherwise unattainable ; and many 



