Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/149

 better to employ the remainder of my travelling-time, in making Observations of a Philosophical nature, so the remembrance of it, since my return into my Native Soyle, hath prompted me to enquire after, and to take special notice of the Productions of Nature there: Among which I shall at this time chiefly impart to you, what hath occurr'd to me about the Osteocolla; which I have therefore the more carefully observ'd, because I have hitherto met in Authors with little satisfaction concerning the same.

1. Therefore, I find, that it growes in a Sandy, yet not Gravelly Soyle, and not at all (that I know) in any rich or Clayie Ground.

2. It shoots down two mens depth under ground, so that, being found above the surface of the Earth, you may still find downwards of its branches till you come to the said depth. Where it is to be noted, that the branches moll commonly grow streight up, yet sometimes also spread sideways.

3. The branches are not of an equal thickness, but, like plants growing above ground, some of them thicker, some slenderer; and the farther they are distant from the common stem, the thinner they are, the stalk being thickest of all, usually equalling the thickness of an ordinary Arm or Legg, and the branches, the thickness of on's little linger.

4. The Place, where 'tis to be found, hath its peculiar mark, to find the Osteocolla by, which is, that upon the Sand, which is here every where yellowish, there appears a whitish fatty Sand, -which, if it be dug into, hath under it a dark fatty, and, how hot and dry soever the other Sand be, a somewhat moist and putrid matter, like rotten Wood, which matter spreads it self here and there in the Earth, just as the Osteocolla it self doth, and is called by those, whom I have employ'd to look for it, the Flower of this Substance.

5. The Osteocolla being thus found, is altogether soft, yet rather friable than ductil: Wherefore if one hath the curiosity of getting out of the ground a whole piece of it with its branches, he mutt very carefully remove the Sand every way from it, and then let it lie so a while; its quality being, That remaining exposed to the Sun for half an hour or somewhat longer, it Rh