[ 49 8 ] 
LXXXIII. ExtraEi of a Letter from Wm. 
Dixon, Efq\ F. R S. to Mr . W. Watfon, 
F. R.S. from Loverfall near Doncafter/« 
Yorkfhire, June i, 1752. concerning fome 
vegetable Balls ; with Remarks on the?n by 
Mr. Wm. Watfon. 
Dear Sir, 
Read June i8,TT HAVE fent you fome balls, which. 
I 7^ 2 ‘ JL feem to me to be plants of a very par- 
ticular kind. They were taken up in a frefh-water 
lake, on a large common in the Eaft Riding of York- 
fhire, about twelve miles weft of Hull. The lake 
is from one hundred to two hundred acres in big- 
nefs, according to different feafons, and empties into- 
the Humber; which is pretty fait, and has fome- 
times infeded it a little at very high tides. The 
water is very bright, and the bottom in many places 
is quite cover’d with thefe balls,, like a pavement, at 
different depths. Thefe now fent were about fix 
inches under water ; and many are left quite dry every 
fummer. Whether they are particular to this place, 
I know not, having no defcription of them in. my 
botanic library. To you, who have fo general an ac- 
quaintance in that branch of natural knowlege, they 
may prove old acquaintance. [Thus far Mr. Dixon.] 
The vegetable here mention’d, and which I take 
the liberty of laying before you, I have never feen 
till now ‘ r neither have I been able to find it defcribed 
in any of the botanic writers, whom I have confulted. 
The matter, of which it is compofed, is that of a confer- 
va ; and fhould therefore have had a place under that 
genus 
