692 Microscopical Essays. 



beauty about them, their internal ftru&ure, when laid open by 

 different feclions, appears yet more admirable. 



The feed of the mufk fcabrous is amazing in its mape and! 

 ilruclure ; it refembles in figure an oclagonal vafe, with a fcal- 

 loped brim ; the whole is bell-fafnioned^ having ribs or divifions* 

 which run down from the mouth of the vafe, and thence be- 

 coming narrower, form the bottom. Between thefe ribs, down 

 to the beginning of the narrow part, it is clear, though not 

 wholly tranfparent, and from thence to the bottom the ribs are 

 hairy. This vafe contains a feed, which is like a peftle (landing 

 in a mortar. The peftle ftands loofe in an oftagonal cafe, but 

 the narrownefs of the mouth of this vafe hinders the peftle's being 

 drawn out, becaufe it's extremity within is rounded, and thicker 

 than any other part of it. From it's upper end there arife five 

 fpiculated areftse, or awns, whofe little thorns are directed up- 

 wards, and are thereby prepared to caufe the feed to recede from 

 any thing that might injure it on being touched. The bafon, 

 from which thefe ariftse arife, is of a fine green colour, and they 

 are of an elegant mining brown. 



The feed of the great maple, which we commonly, but im- 

 properly, .call the fycamore tree, confifts of a pod and it's wing; 

 two of thefe grow upon a pedicle, with the pods together, which, 

 makes them refembk the body of an infeft with it's expanded 

 wings : the wings are finely vafculated, and the pods are winged 

 with a fine white down, refembling filk : this contains a round 

 compact pellet, covered with a brown membrane, that flicks veryr 

 clofely to it. When this is pulled off. inftead of difcerning a*.. 



5 kernel y . 



