rOL. XXIV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. ISQ 



occasioned by the canals lying so close to each other; for we saw clearly that b 

 was two distinct canals, when they were stretched out, as in bcp; and that one 

 of those canals was again subdivided into two more, as from c to d ; and per- 

 haps these slender particles d and e were still further subdivided. 



After this, I took that particle of the aloes-leaf which I had before examined 

 lengthwise, and cut it across, to view it in that position, that I might discover 

 the orifices or openings of those canals which in fig. 7j are represented in their 

 whole length by abcd. In fig. 8, hikl are represented (as they appeared 

 through a microscope that did not enlarge the object so much as that through 

 which I viewed fig. 4 and 5) six large tubes, which show themselves in the last 

 mentioned vessel or canal, in which also there are a great many other less tubes. 

 These small vessels, which are to be seen about h, have other cross canals that 

 issue from them, from whence proceed the large internal membranes, with the 

 sap in them. 



Fig. 9, MNO represent other canals, that jwere also cut across ; and by paR 

 in fig. ] O is also shown, how out of the canals so divided, the membranes pro- 

 ceed, in which most of the sap is included, and of which the greatest part of the 

 aloes-leaf is composed; and these membranes, with the sap that lie in them, 

 are so clear and transparent, that you can see nothing but their circles or cir- 

 cumferences, as in RasTvwxp, Between these membranes there are canals 

 though but very few, with their branches, that run the length of the leaf, from 

 whence also the membranes proceed ; and when I took one of these vessels 

 surrounded with membranes, and the matter shut up in them, and separated a 

 little of it from those other fore-mentioned parts, so that it was exposed naked 

 to the air, it assumed presently after a red colour: whereas, those parts that 

 were involved in their membranes, retained their colour, which was a little 

 greenish. This change, from green to red, reminds me of what I have observed 

 several times in the eggs of a living crab, which I have taken out of her, and 

 breaking them in pieces, viewed them, and perceived that the matter which lay 

 in the egg-shells was green; but when I let it dry a little, it presently turned 

 from green to red. 



I cut across the large canals of another aloes-leaf, which appeared yellow, as 

 did also the sap which came out of the internal membranes ; and when I cut a 

 slip or slice of such a leaf, which was as thick as the back of a knife, and laid 

 it upon a clean glass plate, it turned presently to a peach colour; and so did a 

 small drop of the sap upon the same glass; which being almost dried up, there 

 appeared as many salt particles in that little matter, as if the fourth part of it 

 had been mixed with shining sand. 



