Supposed different Species of Viper. 183 



longitudinally dividing the leaf of a hyacinth, and then im- 

 mersing it in water. Were I inclined to be hypercritical, I 

 might, in my turn, make a few comments, and remind your 

 northern contemporary that vesicular (cellular) tissue does 

 not occupy the central part of a stem exclusively, nor do 

 woody fibres and true vessels always occupy its circumference ; 

 for it is surely superfluous to observe, that cellular tissue is 

 present in every part of a plant for the purpose of binding 

 together the ligneous and vascular tissues ; or that, in the 

 stems of endogens, vesicular, ligneous, and vascular tissues are 

 mingled together, without any true distinction, into pith, wood, 

 and bark. 



In conclusion, I may observe, that the researches of 

 Dutrochet have demonstrated endosmosmic action to be an 

 active agent always going on in organised bodies : they have 

 demonstrated its agency -in producing what before appeared 

 to be the mysterious irritability of the fruit of the Elaterium, 

 and valves of the Impatiens. Is it, therefore, I would ask, 

 inconsistent with philosophical reasoning, or sound induction, 

 to apply a similar explanation to an analogous series of phe- 

 nomena, after having proved that endosmosmic action is capable 

 of aiding, or even of producing, them, and therefore, as far as 

 at present is possible, tracing effect to cause ? Is it not rather 

 to be considered, that, calling in the aid of two physical agents 

 to explain a single effect, after one has been proved to be suf- 

 ficient, as somewhat militating against that beautiful simplicity 

 every where observed in the varied phenomena so lavishly 

 presented to us by the hands of nature? 



22. Wilmington Square, March 11. 1837. 



Art. V. Some Observation upon the supposed different Species of 

 Viper. By G. W. 



Naturalists appear to be unanimous in the opinion that, in 

 England and Scotland, there is but one genus of venomous rep- 

 tiles, that kind of creeping thing commonly called the viper, 

 adder, or hagworm. Ireland, by virtue of its patron Saint, lays 

 claim to a national exemption from all sorts of reptiles, poison- 

 ous as well as not. Ray, however, mentions the green lizard as 

 indigenous; how truly is not affirmed: but the informed and 

 the uninformed, the high and the low, from that country, do 

 say, that nothing of the kind is to be found within the green 

 limits of the " first gem of the sea." Sweden, as it is related in 

 Barrow's agreeably written journal, claims a similar exemption; 

 but, if Linnaeus was not dreaming when he fancied himself 



