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I. Ob/erVations on the Secd-Feffels and Seeds of Poly- 
podium. In a. Letter fmn Mr Anthony Van 
Leeuwe»hoekj F. ^ S, 
Delft I/? Holland, Afril 7/^^ l/OS- 
WHen f -was a fevv years ago^at a plate u^ife^^^^^ 
podium grew, I viewed the Seed Veffeis, that 
were in great numbers upon its Leaves ^ . and when I 
placed Ibme pieces of a Leaf before a Microfcdpe, I ob- 
ferve-d, a^ drd feveral others that were with' me, the Seed 
Veffcls" appearing, like fo many rbund Glc>biftes 5 and that 
fo©n one arid foon another- of th^fri bufft before bur Eyes, 
which fpeftacle feemy exceeding ftrarigeto us. And late- 
ly, in the middle of 'the iaft Winter, there fell into my 
bands two Leaves of Fern, that grew upon- the ftump of 
an old Willow Tree, and were alrnoft withered -j- the. 
which Leaf we call Oak Fetn. - . ^ - '.^ -^-'^- • * 
This Leaf had a great deal of Seed m it;' ^bi^t ttje Seed 
Veflels thereof v^^efe much larger than t lie Seeds of the 
Fern that grow in the Country, 
^ I obferved feveral little Bundles or Parcels of thefe Seed 
Veflels, fometimes thirteen of^ thern lying -ia a: row hy 
^ one another. v,.^ iumr;.;^>;ii ^r.w ^^K .li ; 
Having never taken notice before, how large the Plant 
called the Gak Fern grows upon the Trees, I betook my 
felf in the month of February laft to a certain place, whefe 
there vvere old Willow Trees growing upon the Banfcs-of 
a Canal, the which Trees were no taller than the length 
of a Man : The Boughs or Branches of which had been 
lopt 
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