396 Pine species of Coivparsnep. 



they inflict. On the ripening of the fruit, as the seed is tech- 

 nically called, a curious cimex is found among dried um- 

 bels, which so nearly resembles the seed as to look like an 

 animated seed, there being two parallel dark lines down its 

 back, similar to the vittse of the fruit. 



The Heraclea seems to be numerous in species ; and, in a 

 catalogue of seeds of the St. Petersburg Botanic Garden, 

 five species are noticed besides the HexvioXeum sibericum L ; 

 and all may be as remarkable for some prominent quality as 

 is the HexQ.c\eiijn Wilhelmsu for its speciousness. Loudon, 

 in his Encyclopcedia of Plants^ &c., enumerates some ten 

 species; and Burnett, in his Onilhies of Boia?!!/, assures us 

 that " the Kamschatdales and Russians eat the young shoots 

 and leaf stalks of Heracleum sphindylium after the rind, 

 which is acrid, is peeled off. This species is considered very 

 nutricious, and large bundles of it are collected and dried, 

 during which operation the stalks become covered with a 

 saccharine efflorescence, which is considered a great delicacy. 

 To what use our present plant, or even the common native 

 species, {Heracleum lanatum,) can be applied, I am unable 

 to say. 



The delicate hyaline structure of the hair or down, invest- 

 ing the joints of the stalks and petioles, affords an excellent 

 subject in which to observe the spontaneous movements of 

 particles of matter {chlorophyll,) in the interior of each hair. 



This phenomenon was once considered as only occurring 

 in very rare instances; but many plants have been ascer- 

 tained to exhibit this gyratory and circulatory motion of cor- 

 puscles within their cells. In the present instance, I have 

 found both motions, viz: a current of larger particles floating 

 within a turbid fluid, and myriads of others, of a medium 

 size, rotating on their axes, and resembling those animalcules 

 known as monads. To the microscopist, this feature of the 

 plant would, doubtless, prove interesting. 



Having on hand some fresh seed of this present year's 

 growth, it shall be at your disposal, Mr. Editor, should you 

 deem it worthy your acceptance. 



Sottth Hingham, July, 1849. 



