310 LECTURE VII. 



nourishment to animals which feed on such 

 seeds or grain. In the various kinds of 

 fruits, a great quanity of esculent matter 

 is produced, which must be considered as 

 designed for the food of animals. In the 

 accomplishment of this object, we again 

 observe an extreme diversity of means ; 

 sometimes the seeds are contained in the 

 centre of the fruit ; and sometimes set in 

 the circumference, or surface. Sometimes 

 the little embryon of the young plant, with 

 the esculent substance, is included in a 

 firm case. In those plants, which thrive 

 every where, the seeds are light, and scat- 

 tered abroad by the air; and some are 

 curiously feathered to prolong their flight, 

 whilst others, adapted to peculiar situations, 

 are heavy. Even animals are made to dis- 

 seminate vegetables which serve them for 

 food ; for, having eaten the seeds, some pass 

 undigested through their bowels, and vege- 

 tate where deposited, in ground thus also 

 manured. The seeds of some vegetables 

 probably contain scarcely any thing but the 

 germ of the young plant, and do not there- 

 fore vegetate, but under favouring circum- 



