Miscellanies. 



197 



Fig. 3. 



Fig. 1, represents pollen grains of Pinus rigida, taken from the flowers. 

 Fig. 2, various pollen grains fi-ona the powder of Pictou. Fig. 3, pol- 

 len found with fossil infusoria at West Point. That 

 these are all pollen grains of various species of pine, 

 no one familiar with the peculiar pollen of Pinus 

 can doubt. The analysis given by Mr. Blake, is 

 not at all incompatible with this statement. Phos- 

 phate of lime is a well known ingredient of pollen 

 of pine. Dr. Dana found 3 per cent, of it in Pinus 

 abies. The presence of nitrogen in pollen, is, as 

 you remark, well known. 



With regard to the pollen from Troy, I believe it to be all pollen of 

 various trees, but am not able to state positively what plants furnished 

 it. I think no part of it can be sporules of Lycopodium, as our species 

 of that genus do not flower until July or August ; whereas the powder 

 in question fell in May. The species too of Lycopodium are scarcely 

 abundant enough, I should think, to furnish such large amounts of the 

 powder. I send you some sketches of the pollen grains of which the 

 Troy powder is composed. The larger particles, (Fig, 4,) a, a, a, a, 



Fig. 4. 



compose the greater portion of the powder ; I presume there would be 

 no difficulty in identifying ihem with the pollen of some tree growing 

 near Troy and flowering in May. The smaller particles 5, J, &, in 

 their triangular shape, and the protrusion of pollen tubes from the an- 

 gles, resemble the pollen of various plants of the natural family Ona- 

 grarise. The last figures are drawn to the same scale as those prece- 

 ding, and were all sketched with the camera lucida eye-piece, and a 

 moderate power of my Chevalier's microscope. You will notice that 

 there is no pollen of pine in the Troy powder. Believe me, very sin- 

 cerely, your friend, J- W, Bailey. 



4. Brief Strictures on Art. XV, Vol. xxxiv, p. 169, of this Jour- 

 nal. — Looking over the thirty fourth volume of the Journal, I met with 

 a very interesting article on the Diy Rot. At variance with the pre- 



