602 CONSERVATIVE ORGANS. [LECT. XI. 



those which regulate the operations connected 

 with inert matter. 



The second or interior cuticular layer is seen 

 through the epidermis, and consists of a vascular 

 network resting upon a layer or layers * of cells. 



Taking the same portion of the cutis of Dian- 

 thus Caryophyllus (40.) to demonstrate the super- 

 ficial structure of this layer; we find that, except 

 within the boundary of the detached epidermis 

 (a. a.), the whole is spread with a network of ir- 

 regular hexagons formed by lines which appear 

 double, and terminate in a ring surrounding a 

 slit or oblong pore (c. ,*.), which occupies the centre 

 of one of the longest bounding lines of almost 

 every alternate hexagon. The same appearance of 

 the interior layer of cutis is seen on both surfaces 

 of the leaf of Dianthus ; but, as I shall afterwards 

 demonstrate, this is not the case in the majority of 

 leaves-}-. If we now place a very thin transverse 



* Mr. F. Bauer describes the cuticle of a species of Hae- 

 manthus as composed of several layers of cells. See Tracts 

 relative to Botany. Lond. 1805. 



I In Plate 10, figure 3 represents a portion of cuticle 



