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After a time Nasmyth’s observation was attributed to imperfect definition, but was not fairly disproved. He had, indeed, a basis of fact for his statement, and to him belongs the credit of first pointing out the existence of this minute structure, though he mistook its true character. It will be seen later how the real forms might be mistaken for leaves, and in certain particular cases they certainly do take on a very leaf-like appearance. Here is a drawing (Fig.12) which Father Secchi gives of some of them in the spot of April 14, 1867, and which he compares to a branch of cactus. He remarks somewhere else that they resemble a crystallization of sal-ammoniac, and calls them veils of most intricate structure. This was the state of our knowledge in 1870, and it may seem surprising that such wonderful statements had not been proved or disproved, when they referred to mere matters of observation. But direct observation is here very difficult on account of the incessant tremor and vibration of our own atmosphere.