456 Mr. E. J. QuEKETT on the Ergot of Rye, 



very easily in a transverse or any other direction, on very little force being 

 exerted for that purpose ; it exhibits at this period, under the microscope, its 

 surface covered with a white mealy coating, which is mixed with cotton-like 

 filaments*, separating with the utmost facility when the ergot is placed in 

 water and means are used for detaching it. This coating is not confined to 

 the body of the grain exclusively, for the particles and filaments of which it is 

 composed run over the anthers and stigmas, cementing them into one mass ; 

 this fact is mentioned by Leveille, and figured by Philippar; the particles 

 being found on the anther is noticed also by Mr. Smith, and they have been 

 detected by myself on the glumes and palese. 



This coating, when examined microscopically, is found to be composed of 

 minute bodies (sporidia), which are seen separated from each other when they 

 are removed from the ergot ; but when viewed in their natural situation they 

 are seen occasionally united by their extremities, forming short moniliform 

 filaments ; but for the most part they are found irregularly agglutinated to 

 the surface, their connexion with each other being so easily disturbed if mois- 

 ture be applied to them. The coating is not smoothly distributed as regards 

 the surface it covers, but is composed of numerous flakes and also of sinuous 

 ridges fj similar to the convolutions on the exterior of the human brain, which 

 are arranged longitudinally upon the apex of the ergot, but diminish toward 

 the base, and are most distinct when the specimens are about half grown. 



At this stage the whole diseased grain does not measure more than one 

 sixth or one eighth of an inch, and the stigmas have become somewhat 

 shrivelled, whilst the few hairs on its apex, and also the two scales at its base 

 remain unchanged. If a transverse section be made, it shows scarcely any- 

 thing but sporidia arranged about a very small and soft axis, which is of a 

 lobed, triangular, or irregular form ; this axis is the grain very much altered 

 from its normal condition, and presenting scarcely any analogy to the others 

 which retain their healthy character. 



* Besides these filaments, there are others which appear to me as if they belonged to some other 

 parasite, which selects a damp situation for its growth, and have no share in the production of the 

 ergot, their joints being not like those of the true coating, having seldom any granules within them, 

 and being more nearly rectangular than elliptical, and occurring on many parts of the grass, and not 

 always on the body of the ergot. 



t See Tab. XXXII. figg. 4 and 7. 



