136 The Natural Hiftory of the Book Ve 
The Edges or Eminences of each Furrow are thickly befet, at the 
Diftance of half an Inch, with Star-like Tufts of whitith {lender Prickles, 
from an Inch to an Inch and an half long. pie 
_ Thefe, while young, are nurfed and guarded at the Bottom with a 
Cotton-like woolly Subftance, which flies off when thefe are fufficiently 
ftrong to endure the Viciflitudes of the Weather. 
From near the Top of fome of the largeft Stalks rifes a longifh fealy 
green Pod-like Subftance, here-and-there marked with white Spots ; from 
which grow many yellowith fharp flender Prickles. 
The Flower, which is at the End of this Pod-like Subftance, is com- 
pofed of a great many round-pointed. Petals, of a yellowifh-red Colour. 
The Piftil and Stamina are tipped with yellow pices. 
When thefe Flowers drop, the above-mentioned green Calyx becomes 
the Rudiment of the Fruit ; which, when ripe, is full of fmall cz, af- 
fording a purplifh Juice. 
The Turx’sHe an; Lat. Merocactus AMERICANUS. 
? 
HIS, I fuppofe, derives its Name from its diftant Refemblance to a 
- high-raifed ‘Turbant. 
Its outward Texture isa very green skinny Tegument ; its Shape of a 
very blunt Cone, whofe Sides are deeply ftriated ; each intermediate Rife- 
ing thickly ftudded with long {harp-pointed Prickles. 
Near the Summit appear very many red rofaceous fmall Flowers.’ 
Thefe are fucceeded by fmall oval red Berries, full of an agreeable 
Pulp, interfperfed with {mall Acini. 
The Root of thefe Flowers and Fruit is guarded with a foft Cotton- 
like Subftance. 
_ The MuskMELON VINE; Lat. MELo, 
6 Be 1S Fruit is diftinguifhed, by the Colour of its Pulp, into thewhite 
; and red Sort ; each deriving its Name from the Fragrancy of its 
Smell. 
As this Fruit is fo well known, both here, and in England,.a particu- 
lar Defcription of it would be fuperfluous. : 
I thall therefore only obferve, that the Vine is rough, almoft to a 
_’Pricklinefs, bearing {mall yellow monopetalous Flowers. 
Each of thefe divides into Five Seétions, fo deep, that they refemble 
pentapetalous Flowers. 
The W atER-MELons. 
: | HESE,. as well as the former, are diftinguifhed, by the Colour of 
coe their Pulp, into the White and Red ; each deriving its Name of a 
Water-Melon from the great Quantity of that Liquid they contain. 
By 
