166 Dr Fleming on a remarkable Species of' Trickier. 
of succinic acid, the requisite quantity of carbonate of ammo- 
nia, likewise dissolved in water. From the previous condition 
of the two ingredients, the resulting solution was not fully satu- 
rated. The quantity, so prepared, did not exceed four ounces 
by measure, and was contained in a phial with a ground glass 
stopper. Upwards of three ounces of this solution were employ- 
ed, at different periods, during that season, in some analytical 
experiments in which I was engaged. The phial, containing the 
remainder of the solution, was placed on a shelf, in a closet, ha- 
ving a window facing the north, but not exposed directly to its 
light. 
The phial and its contents, continued in these circumstances, 
unnoticed and undisturbed, until the month of June last. At that 
period, when it was my intention to employ the solution for simi- 
lar purposes as formerly, I was surprised to observe, on one side 
of the phial, at the bottom, and beneath the surface of the fluid, 
the plant, such as is represented at PI. VII. Fig. 5. From the 
period at which it was first observed, to the end of September, 
it was frequently looked at, but no change was perceived to take 
place in its appearance. About this time, however, the heads 
began td exhibit a downy roughness on the surface, intimating 
their approach to maturity. Afraid lest the decay of the plant 
anight speedily take place after these appearances, I removed 
it from its Situation, in order to examine its characters. 
The base consisted of an apparently gelatinous mass, adher- 
ing to the glass, rising up on one side to tile height of about 
half an inch, and spreading over more than half of the bottom. 
The free surface, towards the centre of the liquor, was convex, 
and supported numerous Stems, terminating in enlarged con- 
vex heads. 
The text ufe of the bast was not so soft and tender as I had 
anticipated, for it resisted a considerable force to teat it in pieces, 
and induced me to denominate it coriaceous. When a small 
portion of it was placed under the microscope, and examined 
with a magnifying power of sixty diameters, its structure was 
distinctly displayed, as consisting of innumerable closely inter- 
woven fibres. 
The stems were round, and a little narrower at the base than 
towards the top. When magnified, they were found, in like 
