718 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1743. 



bloom, at all times of the year, several seemingly fine radiated yellow flowers, 

 with thick-set distinct petala:* these flowers, on the approach of a finger, or 

 when disturbed by any thing else that came within 2 or 3 inches of them, would 

 in an instant close all their leaves together, and the flower, stalk and all, would 

 shrink back into the cavity of the stone : yet, if undisturbed for the space of a 

 few minutes, they would again come in sight, and by degrees expand their 

 leaves, and appear in their former beauty. From such an appearance at first he 

 gave it the name of a sensitive flower ; especially when he once saw several sta- 

 mina, but without apices, rise up from the socket of the flower. Yet no sooner 

 had these appeared to give the idea of a perfect flower, but that replete with 

 animal life, if motion, and a capacity of self-preservation may be called such ; 

 these claws, or arms, darted from one side of the flower to another, and about 

 its verge, with a quick motion, as if in search of prey. What further con- 

 firmed him in this opinion, was, that he observed these claws, when in motion, 

 to be jointed, and that they would often close together, as so many forceps; 

 though their appearance was but for a short time, soon retreating and disap- 

 pearing again in the socket of the flower. As this seems, if it is allowed to be 

 an animal, to be its manner of taking its prey, he queries whether, as these 

 radiated leaves can in an instant close, with a strong elastic force, to avoid 

 danger, they may not also, when the prey is brought within their circle, be of 

 use to confine and secure it in their embrace, till it is conveyed to the mouth ; 

 which he supposes to be in the socket, of what he at first called a flower. The 

 top of the stone, out of which these seeming flowers grow, is covered over with 

 clusters of water-bottles, that resemble unripe grapes. Among these he found 

 also several small blue flowers, resembling the yellow ones in their form and 

 other qualities. See fig. 4, pi. 21. 



Concerning the Seeds of Mushrooms. By the Rev. Roger Pickering, V.D.M. 



N°471, p. 593. 



Mr. P. says he was always of opinion, that these plants had their seeds as 

 well as others ; and attributed the not discovering them hitherto, to the short- 

 ness of this plant's duration, and to its succulent and loose texture, by which it 

 is liable to immediate putrefaction from the least alteration of weather. He 

 could no otherwise account for the method used by the Italians, who make 



* At first sight this species of anitnab greatly reseitibles the flower of the marigold, but is of a 

 paler yellow. I take it to be a sort of urtica marina, of which Gesner has given descriptions and 

 figures in his book de Aquatilibus ; but a figure very nearly resembling this above described, is to be 

 seen in Johnston, Hist. Nat. de Exanguibus Aquaticis, tab. 18. C. M. — Orig. 



