104 KEPRODUCTIVE 6RGANS. CHAP. in. 



remark, and certainly it cannot be defended in its 

 full extent. But the definition that Mr. Salisbury 

 has substituted in its place is itself equally faulty, 

 and is as complete a petitio prindpii as ever was 

 made ; a proposition not duly sanctioned by facts 

 being first laid down as a rule, and then all enve- 

 lopes reduced to it as an infallible standard, like the 

 bodies of the unwary travellers to the iron bed of 

 Procrustes. The calyx, says Mr. Salisbury, is the 

 external envelope of the flower, similar to the plant, 

 for the most part, in colour and substance, inserted 

 in the torus (receptacle) and always distinct from 

 the stamens. But this is the assuming of the very 

 point in question , for Jussieu has said that the stamens 

 may be inserted in the calyx, and it will appear in 

 the sequel that they are occasionally so inserted. 



SUBSECTION III. 



The Stamens. The stamens are substances o 



of. j 



very slender fabric and of a thread-shaped figure, sur* 

 mounted with a small bag or yiscus, and situated im- 

 mediately within the corolla, to which they are some- 

 times even attached by the inner surface. A very good 

 example of them may be seen by opening up the 

 blossom of a Tulip or a Lily. (PI. IV. Fig. 11.) 

 They are apparently of no importance to the vulgaj 

 pbserver, but are essential to the botanical notion of 

 a flower, because indispensable to the formation of 

 perfect fruit. The calyx is sometimes wanting, as 



