OBJECTS EOK THE MICROSCOPE. 
335 
VEGETABLES. 
Seeds of Plants afford many pleasing objects, as well as the leaves, 
: they should he gummed to paper, as directed for Insects. 
Moss, — This, in the winter months, should always be collected and 
carefully examined, as it not only furnishes many curious subjects 
°f itself, but likewise harbours many very beautiful insects, minute 
shells, &c. 
Purina or the Pollen of Plants affords some curious subjects, and is 
yell deserving of a further investigation. In the sixth volume ot the 
transactions of the Linncan Society is given an Account of a Micro- 
topical investigation of several species of Pollen, with some. Remarks and 
Questions on the structure and use of that part of vegetables. By Luke 
Howard, Esq. from which the following is extracted. 
“ I betran my observations," says Mr. Howard, “ with the Hazel- 
tree ( Cari/lus Avdlana). On a calm dry day I shook off some of the 
Pollen from the expanded catkins upon a clean piece of writing-paper : 
1 also gathered some of the catkins and female buds. These I viewed 
separately on a clear plate of glass, usually transmitting the light 
through them from a speculum below, and with different magnifying 
Powers, preferring those which, without enormously enlarging the ob- 
jects, gave a clear view of the structure and position of several at once. 
“ 1, Corylus Avdlana . — Anthers furnished with transparent horn- 
like appendages. Pollen crumbles from the surface, and is sometimes 
^ abundant"as to fall in a visible cloud on the slightest motion of a 
branch. To die naked eye it is a fine yellow powder. A few grains 
laid on the glass plate and viewed with tire lens, No. f; some appear 
of an irregular angular shape, opake, except in one or two parts, where 
light passing presents the appearance of a perforation; others nearly 
spherical, the surface divided by depressed lines into a number of con- 
yex facets. The transparency of these is such, that they reliect the 
'mage of a small object held under them, as well as a drop of liquid. 
* hi repeating the examination, the former arc found to come from the 
most mature anthers, and to differ from die latter only as a raisin does 
ffom a grape. A clear drop of distilled water being put on the glass, 
both kinds imbibe it with the avidity" of a sponge, at the same time 
distending and spreading abroad in the water, but without any motion 
further than that which this expansion causes. When saturated with 
die water they remain at the bottom, clear as the liquid itself, and all 
alike distended to a built many times greater than their original one 
iu a dry state. They ate now seen to he multilocular capsules, having 
septa in various directions within them, die union ot which with die 
external membrane appears at the angles in the dry state, and at the 
depressed lines in die wet. 
