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63 lines
4.0 KiB
63 lines
4.0 KiB
12 years ago
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<h1 align="center"><br>
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Observ. XXIII. Of the curious texture of Sea-weeds.<br>
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</h1>
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<p align="center"><img src="images/Octavo/seaweed.jpg" width="316" height="498"></p>
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<p align="center"> </p>
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<blockquote>
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<p><font size="4">For curiosity and beauty, I have not among all the Plants
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or Vegetables I have yet observ'd, seen any one comparable to this Sea-weed
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I have here describ'd, of which I am able to say very little more then what
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is represented by the second Figure of the ninth Scheme: Namely, that it is
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a Plant which grows upon the Rocks under the water, and increases and spreads
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it self into a great tuft, which is not onely handsomely branch'd into several
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leaves, but the whole surface of the Plant is cover'd over with a most curious
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kind of carv'd work, which consists of a texture much resembling a Honeycomb;
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for the whole surface on both sides is cover'd over with a multitude of very
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small holes, being no bigger then so many holes made with the point of a small
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Pinn, and rang'd in the neatest and most delicate order imaginable, they being
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plac'd in the manner of a Quincunx, or very much like the rows of the eyes
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of a Fly, the rows or orders being very regular, which way soever they are
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observ'd: what the texture was, as it appear'd through a pretty bigg Magnifying
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Microscope, I have here adjoin'd in the first Figure of the 14. Scheme. which
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round Area A B C D represents a part of the surface about one eighth part
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of an Inch in Diameter: Those little holes, which to the eye look'd round,
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like so many little spots, here appear'd very regularly shap'd holes, representing
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almost the shape of the sole of a round toed shoe, the hinder part of which,
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is, as it were, trod on or cover'd by the toe of that next below it; these
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holes seem'd wall'd about with a very thin and transparent substance, looking
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of a pale straw-colour; from the edge of which, against the middle of each
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hole, were sprouted out four small transparent straw-colour'd Thorns, which
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seem'd to protect and cover those cavities, from either side two; neer the
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root of this Plant, were sprouted out several small branches of a kind of
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bastard Coralline, curiously branch'd, though small. </font></p>
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<p><font size="4">And to confirm this, having lately the opportunity of viewing
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the large Plant (if I may so call it) of a Sponge petrify'd, of which I made
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mention in the last Observation, I found, that each of the Branches or Figures
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of it, did, by the range of its pores, exhibit just such a texture, the rows
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of pores crossing one another, much after the manner as the rows of eyes do
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which are describ'd in the 26. Scheme : Coralline also, and several sorts of
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white Coral, I have with a Microscope observ'd very curiously shap'd. And
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I doubt not, but that he that shall observe these several kinds of Plants that
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grow upon Rocks, which the Sea sometimes overflows, and those heaps of others
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which are vomited out of it upon the shore, may find multitudes of little
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Plants, and other bodies, which like this will afford very beautifull objects
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for the Microscope ; and this Specimen here is adjoin'd onely to excite their
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curiosities who have opportunity of observing to examine and collect what
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they find worthy their notice; for the Sea, among terrestrial bodies, is also
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a prolifick mother, and affords as many Instances of spontaneous generations
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as either the Air or Earth.</font></p>
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<p> </p>
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<p><a href="preface.html"><img src="images/htmldemo/back.jpg" width="146" height="40" align="left" border="0"></a><a href="ant.html"><img src="images/htmldemo/forward.jpg" width="196" height="40" align="right" border="0"></a></p>
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<p> </p>
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<p> </p>
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</blockquote>
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