BOTANY AS APPLIED TO VETERINARY SCIENCE. 259 
the lungs, we had no means of determining, nor does Mr. 
Lepper’s communication make any mention of this. The 
mucous membrane of the trachea was thickened, but free 
from any increased vascularity. It overlaid the deposit in a 
rugose manner; the rugae being more marked in some places 
than in others. They ran parallel with the long axis of the 
trachea. 
We have seen several analogous cases in the ox, which are 
usually complicated with lymph deposits in the lungs, but 
until now we have never witnessed an instance of the kind 
in the horse. No treatment can possibly avail in these cases.] 
BOTANY AS APPLIED TO VETERINARY SCIENCE. 
THE BOTANY OF FUNGI. 
By W. Watson, M.R.C.V.S., Rugby. 
{Continuedfrom p. 150.) 
In the February number of the Veterinarian will be found 
a very interesting account of the death of several horses, pro¬ 
duced by the animals having partaken of oats infected by 
a parasitic vegetable fungus of the “Aspergillus” species. 
These cases occurred in the practice of Mr. Mitchell of 
Leeds, and were communicated to Professor Varnell, and by 
him published with experiments and investigations by him¬ 
self and Professor Tu.son. The facts recorded by these gen¬ 
tlemen are of much importance, and well worthy our con¬ 
sideration. With a view, therefore, of drawing further atten¬ 
tion to the subject, I purpose for the present deviating from 
my observations on plants which yield food' for animals, and 
avail myself of the advantages which this opportunity affords 
of bringing under notice some of the botanical characters of 
the tribe of plants to which these vegetable parasites belong. 
At the commencement of my remarks upon the systems 
under which plants are classed, it will be remembered that 
according to the “ natural system ” the vegetable kingdom 
is divided into three great primary divisions. Tw’O of these 
have already been described, viz., Exogens or Dicotyledons and 
Endogens or Monocotyledons . In each of these divisions the 
plants have stems, leaves, and flowers, and yield true seed. 
We shall now proceed to give a brief description of the third 
division, to which the name of Acrogens or Acotyledons is given. 
This division of the vegetable kingdom differs from those 
previously described, in containing plants the substance of 
