194 The SEVEN VEGETABLE FAMILIES. 
pellucid Lump, only thicker in one part, where It originally grew to the 
outer Membrane. Fig. i 9. 
In thofe which have the Seed advancing toward ripenefs, it is lefs clear 
than before, and begins to ihew fome degree of roughnefs in the Coat. 
Fig. 20, 2 I. 
In the perfectly ripe, the whole fiirface is covered with Tubercles, as 
in the entire Truffl.*-', only they are longer and llcnderer. Fig. 22. 
Spirit of Wine, even by long deeping, makes no change^ in the thin- 
ned dices of the Truffle, except that contrading and hardening the fub- 
dance, the Seeds are feen lefs didindly in the dices, and are more dithcult 
to be feparated than when in the maceration. 
The outer Bark of the Truffle is brittle beyond almod all Vegetable 
Subdances : it is therefore extremely dithcult to get thin pieces of it pure 
for viewing the drudure. The belt are to be had from the angles cf a 
Tubercle in a long macerated half-ripe Truffle. Fig. 23. Examining 
thefe we find, this B.irk is compofed of jointed \’^eircls, and loaded with a 
browm coarie fubdance. The Vedels are themfelves pellucid, and appear 
f) betw'een the fcveral Joints ; but at thole places they fwcll out into more 
thicknefs, and are peifedly opake. Fig. 24. They do not run in any 
regular diredion, but a^e varioufly interw'oven with one another, and go 
in that manner all over the furface of the Truffle ; uniting themfelves at 
every Joint with the inner Rind, by many little Mouths. Fig. 25. 
This fhews w’hy this Bark is fo extremely brittle. The Vedels are very 
tender, and the Joints are loaded with a heavy matter : therefore the force 
and weight in moving thefe alone, would break them in the intervals j but 
they are alfo joined fo firmly at every Knot with the inner Rind, that they 
mud alfo break there; and thefe Knots are innumerable. For this reafon, 
in w’hatfoever date of the Truffle w'C attempt to feparate its outer Rind, 
iinlefs with very uncommon care, that part comes off in little feraps. The 
view of a piece from the upper part of a Tubercle, diews the drudure 
mod happily : the white Fledi appears naked in the aperture at the fum- 
mit, and the Velfels form a kind of regular Fringe on the edge round it, 
running clear from the white fubdance, in a kind of rays. 
The inner Rind of the Truffle may be feparated fow'ewhat better 
from the Flefli, but dill with great difficulty, tho’ from ano her caufe. 
When we have a very thin piece of this clean before the Microfeope, we 
find it compofed of fimpler, plainer, and lefs entangled Vedels than the 
other. We may perceive alfo, that thefe are contained between two Mem- 
branes, and buried, as it were, in a vad quantity of fpungy Pulp. They 
are 
