DISPERSION OF THE SEEDS OF PLANTS. 93 
soon become changed. The seed is supposed to reside 
in the cells of the pileus, and the gelatinous matter 
which we find on its summit ; and on this, and every 
part of the plant, slugs of various kinds are commonly 
found feeding, which, retiring to their holes in the earth, 
from the contents of their stomachs probably propagate 
this phallus. That many of our agarics, and those boleti 
which have central stems, are so diffused around by the 
agency of these creatures, it is reasonable to conclude; 
for it is a very usual thing to find the gills of these 
plants, in which the seed resides, so entirely eaten away 
by slugs as to have no remains perceptible, except a 
little of the flesh and the outer skin ; and they prefer 
those plants which are somewhat advanced in age, and 
in which we suppose the seminal matter to be more 
perfected. 
The various provisions which have been devised for 
the dispersion of the seeds of plants, and introducing 
! them into proper situations for germination, are not the 
least admirable portion of the wonderful scheme of 
!j creation. Every class of beings appears appointed by 
collateral means to promote these designs ; man, beasts, 
|j birds, and reptiles ; and, for aught we know, the very 
j fishes, by consuming, propagate the algse in the depths 
of the ocean. Even insects, by the fecundation of 
|j plants, perform an office equivalent to dissemination ; 
and the multiplied contrivances of hooks, awns, wings, 
&c., and the elastic and hygrometic powers with which 
seeds are furnished, manifest what infinite provision has 
been made for the dispersion of seeds, and successive 
production of the whole race of vegetation. 
The turreted puff (lycoperdon fornicatum) is one of 
our rare cryptogamous plants. I have had one speci- 
men, in which the volvae or wrappers of seven or eight 
individuals grew together, each throwing out a head or 
capitulum, forming a cluster the size of a doubled fist. 
1 It appears, from a close examination of this plant, that 
the upper part bearing the head was originally the inner 
j skin or lining of the wrapper, which inclosed and shut 
it in. Upon the bursting of the wrapper, this inner 
| skin peeled up, or loosened itself from the bottom, and 
