THE CANADIAN JOURNAL 



NEW SERIES 



No. LX.— NOVEMBER, 1865. 



ON CHORISIS. 



AS AN EXPLANATION OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE STRUCTURES. 



BY THE REV. WILLIAM HINCKS, F.L.S., F.B.S. EDIN., 



SON. MEMBER OF THE IIVEEPOOL LIT. AND PHIL. SOC, TOEKSH. PHIL. SOC, EOT. aOC. 



OF CANADA, COEKESPONDINQ MEMBEB OF THE ESSEX CO. INSTITUTE AND THB 



BUFFALO NAT. HIST. SOC, PEOFESSOE OF NAT. HIST. UNIV. COLL., TOEONTO. 



It has of late years, been the aim of philosophical botanists to estab'- 

 lish a few general laws of vegetable structure, capable of explaining all 

 the phenomena which fall under our observation, so as to exhibit a 

 common plan in all the various forms of plants, and show the kind of 

 variations from the general type which occur in each particular in- 

 stance, or in other words, to trace to the action of intelligible cawsea 

 the peculiarities observable in each distinct structure, so as to show 

 what is common to many, and how mutual relations are manifestedia 

 the midst of apparent diversities. This is, perhaps, to be accounted 

 the highest and most interesting part of the study of nature, and if it 

 must necessarily be preceded by the examination of the details of in- 

 dividual structures, always varied, curious, and attractive, it at least 

 arises out of them as naturally as the philosophy of every science 

 arises out of its facts and observations, combined and meditated upon 

 by the highest intelligences amongst its votaries, aided at times by the 

 happy thoughts of humbler labourers in the same field. I design now 



Vol. X. AA 



