122 
SELECTED ARTICLES. 
The contrary to these hitherto received opinions being about 
to be here advanced, from the results of many examinations of 
the ergot, in different conditions, and in different grasses, it is 
fair to explain the reasons for arriving at other conclusions, and 
those which lead me not to adopt the views of former investi- 
gators. 
It has been shown that when the young grain of the grass is 
examined in the healthy state, that its summit bears a tuft of 
hairs, (particularly evident in Elymus sabulosus,) and the two 
stigmas which spring up amongst them, and at the base of the 
grain can be observed the two scales, and below the scales is 
the apex of the pedicle or receptacle, which serves to support 
the grain, the scales, and the paleae, seen in fig. 1, and fig. 3. 
This structure is readily made out in the very young state of 
the grain, and can also be observed only more or less shrivel- 
led by age, in every condition of the ergot up. to its maturity, 
when the specimens are carefully selected for the purpose, all 
of which is accurately figured by Phoebus; then as these organs 
form the appendages at either end of the healthy grain, and 
they do the same in the ergot, there can be no doubt that the 
body between these organs in the healthy state is the grain; 
consequently the body that occupies the same position, but in 
an altered form, ought to be certainly no other than a grain, 
which differs from a healthy one, from having in its early state 
supported a parasite, which communicated to it some disease, 
which has perverted the normal state of its development. 
Notwithstanding the several parts of the grain are arranged as 
described, Philippar makes out the ergot, from his examina- 
tions, (which are the best of the later investigators,) to be a 
separate fungus; still his expressions* are rather vague respect- 
ing it, for, speaking of the ergot, he sometimes styles it "er- 
gotized grain made up of fungic substance is the receptacle of 
the reproductive particles;" in another place, "that the ergot, 
as a fungus, springs from the receptacular point of the sexual 
i 
♦Vid Traite Organographique, &c, pp. 121, 122, 123. 
