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The figure is a conoid, or an acuminated oval : 
its longer diameter is twenty inches, the fliorter near 
the bafe is twelve. 
It is perforated on two oppofite Tides, for the inha- 
bitants to enter and go out at : the upper door was 
originally lefs, but is inlarged, to give a more eafy 
view of the ftrudture of the cells within. 
The fliell is compofed of paper j the fiieets of 
which at its upper end are larger and more difiindt. 
They are of an afii-colour, of difierent fhades, and 
Ifreak’d or marbled : and, being lightly laid upon 
each other, form a wall of from one and an half to 
four inches thicknefs in the feveral parts of it. 
The lax hollow manner, in which they are joined 
to each other, renders them a more effectual fecu- 
rity fiom rain ; as they attrad; water in common 
with all other fubfiances, made of the fame mate- 
rials ; and would have been more eafily foaked thro’, 
if they had been clofer comprefled together. For 
the fame reafon the apex of the cone is of the greateft 
thicknefs ; and the bafe is of a differ and more cel- 
lulofe texture. 
Our paper is formed of broken vegetable fibres, 
placed together without any order, juft as the water 
leaves tliem upon the fieve. This, to the naked eye, 
yeilds the appearance of a more regular arrangement 
of its parts ; being wholly compofed of parallel ftrise, 
placed at about a line’s diftance from each other j 
with fibres going off from . them, in a manner im- 
perfedly refembling the ribs and plumes of a fea- 
ther. The microfcope ftiews very little of this re- 
gular arrangement ; except that the ribs confift of a 
thicker and clofer texture ; being the joinings of the 
feveral 
