81 



super! or part of the body is a circular opening, which, in some of 

 the specimens, is closed by extraneous matter, derived from the ma- 

 trix in which they laid. This opening, which is larger in its upper part 

 than it is downwards, is continued almost to the pedicle, and in some 

 specimens appears even to penetrate it. This is however very difficultly 

 ascertained, since the opening is in general loaded with the extraneous 

 matter. From the circumference of this opening lines may be traced, 

 which not only pass over the whole of the spherical part, and inos- 

 culating, are continued to the elongated part, where they form strire 

 more or less plain ; but they are also found to penetrate into the sub- 

 stancej both of the body and of the pedicle. These bodies have, in 

 general, but one of these openings, but some have more; and Mons. 

 Guettard found one with three distinct openings. In this specimen, 

 the lines or striae just mentioned were seen to collect around the cir- 

 cumference of each of the openings, and after inosculating, to pass 

 into the pedicle, in nearly the same manner as in the others. 



A great disproportion, it appears, is frequently observable between 

 the size of the globular part of these bodies, and their pedicle ; some- 

 times, the pedicle appearing very large, and sometimes very small in 

 proportion to the body : this difference is however frequently the con- 

 sequence of the pedicle having been broken off; a circumstance which 

 indeed so often occurs, that a perfect specimen is very rarely to be 

 met with: numerous fragments of the pedicles being dispersed about 

 in the places where these bodies are found. The pedicles are in gene- 

 ral of a conical form, and not unfrequently flattened. 



By grinding the globular part, as well as the pedicle on a stone, he 

 discovered that their texture appeared to be similar, and that by the 

 frequent ramifications of the fibres, of which their substance was com- 

 posed, a net- work was formed, not much unlike the parenchyma of ve- 

 getables. We therefore perceive that a loose resemblance, sufficient to 

 excuse the vulgar opinion of their origin, is observable betv/een these 

 bodies and the terrestrial fruits. These bodies, like fruits, appear to 



VOL. II. ft 



