( 5 ) 
prickle, called the Awn, or beard. 4th, Anient 
is, what is commonly called a catkin ; it conlifts 
of a great number of chaffy fcales, difperfed 
along a flender thread, or receptacle, and has 
obtained the name of catkin from it's fancied 
refemblance to a cat's tail, Thefe Aments 
are compofed of both male and female flowers; 
the Aments orCatkins of the willow-tree, falix, 
difFufe a fragrant odour around them in early 
fpring; the yellow ones, well known to chil- 
dren by the name of Goflins, from their fan- 
cied refemblance to that little animal, contain, 
ftamens only, and derive their bright yellow 
colour from the prolific duft of their tips or 
Anthers. The green catkins are the female 
Aments, and, when mature, have the appear- 
ance of fmall tufts of wool, w hich is caufed 
by the downy material with which their feeds 
are crowned. The female Aments of Birch, 
Betula, are beautiful, being compofed of fta- 
mens w T ith bright crimfon Anthers furrounded 
by pale green fcales ; the female bloom of 
Nut-trees is alfo of an elegant conftruction, 
though fo minute as to efcape general obfer- 
vation. The 5th fpecies of calyx, called a 
Spathe, wraps round the flower or flowers 
contained in it, till they are ftrong enough no 
B 3 longer 
