206 



NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



[11:4— Apr. 1915 



If collected at this time there will be found on the top of each 

 capsule a little cap (calyptra) as shown in the photograph. This 

 soon falls off and a little later the capsule opens by a small lid 



Funaria hygrometrica X 4. 



which comes off much like the lid of a pot or kettle and the lid has 

 in the middle a little knob ("beak") like a fairy handle for the lid. 

 When the lid falls from the capsule the wind and small animals 

 like mice, insects, etc., in fact any moving thing that touches the 

 plants, shake the tiny spores all over the moist ground. If you 

 break open a ripe capsule you can see the spores like fine brown 

 dust. 



