SECT. IV. OBJECTIONS. 347 



namely, that of ripening and discharging their 

 seeds before the discharge of the pollen, which is 

 an absurdity. 



I know it is the opinion of Mr. Brown,* that 

 M. Beauvois has been led into a mistake with re- 

 gard to the source of the central grains, which he 

 believes to have been pushed into the substance of 

 the column by the pressure necessary to cut it up, 

 or to have been carried over the surface of the 

 section by the cutting instrument. This, it must be 

 confessed, is giving M. Beauvois very little credit 

 for the accuracy of his observations ; although I 

 am satisfied there are but few botanists better qua- 

 lified than Mr. Brown to judge of that accuracy. 

 It is not for me to attempt to decide any thing 

 where such authorities have differed ; nor am I pos- 

 sessed of a sufficient induction of particulars to 

 form any decision ; but I will venture to add that 

 I am quite confident of the existence of two sets of 

 granules in the individuals of the species I exa- 

 mined ; as well as positive that the granules of the 

 urn were not forced into the substance of the 

 column by means of the dissecting instrument. 



But the Mosses are not the only tribe of plants And pre- 

 that has been proved to be furnished with organs 

 of fructification after having been supposed to be 



totally destitute of them. The Ferns, Algae, and A'g 86 * an( * 

 Fungi, according to the illustrations of Hedvyig? 



* Lin. Trans, vol. x. part ii. 



