DISPERSION OF THE SEEDS OF PLANTS. 93 



soon become changed. The seed is supposed to reside 

 in the cells of the pileus, and the gelatinous matter 

 which we find on its summit ; and on this, and every 

 part of the plant, slugs of various kinds are commonly 

 found feeding, which, retiring to their holes in the earth, 

 from the contents of their stomachs probably propagate 

 this phallus. That many of our agarics, and those boleti 

 which have central stems, are so diffused around by the 

 agency of these creatures, it is reasonable to conclude 

 for it is a very usual thing to find the gills of these 

 plants, in which the seed resides, so entirely eaten away 

 by slugs as to have no remains perceptible, except a 

 little of the flesh and the outer skin ; and they prefer 

 those plants which are somewhat advanced in age, and 

 in which we suppose the seminal matter to be more 

 perfected. 



The various provisions which have been devised for 

 the dispersion of the seeds of plants, and introducing 

 them into proper situations for germination, are not the 

 least admirable portion of the wonderful scheme of 

 creation. Every class of beings appears appointed by 

 collateral means to promote these designs; man, beasts, 

 birds, and reptiles ; and, for aught we know, the very 

 fishes, by consuming, propagate the algre in the depths 

 of the ocean. Even insects, by the fecundation of 

 plants, perform an office equivalent to dissemination; 

 and the multiplied contrivances of hooks, awns, wings, 

 &c., and the elastic and hygrometic powers with which 

 seeds are furnished, manifest what infinite provision has 

 been made for the dispersion of seeds, and successive 

 production of the whole race of vegetation. 



The turreted puff (lycoperdon fornicatum) is one of 

 our rare cryptogamous plants. I have had one speci- 

 men, in which the volvae or wrappers of seven or eight 

 individuals grew together, each throwing out a head or 

 capitulum, forming a cluster the size of a doubled fist. 

 It appears, from a close examination of this plant, that 

 the upper part bearing the head was originally the inner 

 skin or lining of the wrapper, which inclosed and shut 

 it in. Upon the bursting of the wrapper, this inner 

 skin peeled up, or loosened itself from the bottom, and 



