130 The Scottish Naturalist. 



markably abundant within the Arctic circle, Hke the last-named 

 species, and which, like it, also advances southward to the 

 Styrian Alps, was gathered by Professor Barker on Ben More, 

 Perthshire, in July 187 1, but was only determined last year. 

 Last year it was gathered in a second British locality, on Whern- 

 side, Yorkshire, by Messrs West and Lees. The Ben More plant 

 has a much closer resemblance to Arctic forms than the Whern- 

 side plant has, and is more easily identified. The latter to a 

 certain extent simulates A. palustre var. iviljricatum.^ which is 

 almost exactly intermediate between A. palustre and A. turgiduiu. 

 Now that attention has been called to this new British species it 

 is probable that it will be found in other localities, though it is 

 likely to prove local, or even rare, like some of the other recently 

 discovered Scottish species. A scarcely less important discovery 

 is that of Seligeria acutifolia by Mr Whithead, of Dukinfield. 

 This minute species was found by him on limestone rocks at 

 Arncliffe, Yorkshire ; but, like so many of our recent " finds," it 

 was not recognised at the time when it was collected. It was 

 only a few months ago that the discoverer, on a re-examination 

 of his SeligericB, became aware of the true character of this little 

 gem. It will probably be discovered by-and-by in Scotland, and 

 may at once be known by the long perichaetial leav.es reaching 

 up to the mouth of the capsule. Diligent search should be made 

 all over our limestone districts, not only for this but for ^S". 

 diversifolia, a Scandinavian species, with short, ovate, obtuse 

 leaves, which may be reasonably expected to exist in this country ; 

 but these Seligerice are such minute entities, that they will reveal 

 themselves only to very sharp and practised eyes with a knowing 

 man behind them. 



Among the more interesting varieties that have been recently 

 brought to light is one of Cainpylopus hrc7'ipilus — viz., var. auri- 

 culatus. It differs from the type in having leaves more or less 

 conspicuously auricled, the auricles being composed of large 

 fuscous cells. It seems to be much more abundantly distributed 

 over Great Britain than is the type. 



For many years I had looked earnestly, but in vain, on the 

 thatched roofs of cottages throughout Scotland for Didytnodcm 

 gemj?iascens, Nutt., which has been noticed in a few localities 

 in England. Last month I found it in abundance on thatched 

 cottages near Liff, to the west of Dundee. Between this and 

 Rossie Priory to the west, there are several excellent mosses, 

 such as ZygodoJi Stirtonii cf , Sclcropodiuvi ccespitosinn, Hypnum 



