EECREATIVE SCIENCE. 



211 



triclium undulatura, Pterogonium SmitMi, 

 and many of tlie Bryums, shrivel and be- 

 come unsightly and much altered in ap- 

 pearance ; but dry weather should not be 

 considered as altogether unfit for collect- 

 ing, for such as Pterogonium Smithii I con- 

 eider improved by its curly appearance. In 

 exploring for mosses, you will find Hypnum 

 riparium abundant on the wooden gates of 

 locks, miU-dams, hatches, etc.; Fontinalis 

 antipyrelica, growing in waving or feathery 

 plumes from the bottom and sides of tole- 

 rably deep streams ; the Polytrichums, abun- 

 dant on heaths and sandy banks ; the Ortho- 

 trichums, on stones and trunks of trees ; the 

 Phascums, forming patches of reddish-brown, 

 or green, with yellow dots like seed, on the sur- 

 face of the earth ; Weissia ealcarea, forming a 

 blackish-brown stain on the surface of chalk 

 in pits and railway-cuttings, and so minute 

 as to compel the collector to chip ofi* the sur- 

 face of the chalk to get the specimens. The 

 Dicranums and Hypnums may be found 

 everywhere, from the sides of our wells to the 

 walls of the house, the tops of trees, and on 

 lofty mountains. Bryum argentium, I am 

 told, is found all over the world. It is abun- 

 dant on Westminster Bridge, and on waste 

 grounds where houses are building, or have 

 lately been built, between the stones in un- 

 frequented squares, and on many walls in and 

 near London. 



While collecting, the hoe-shaped blade, 

 attached to the stick or umbrella (Figs. 6 and 

 7), will be found especially useful for loosen- 

 ing Orthotrichums, and others that grow on 

 trees above your reach. The specimens may 

 generally be caught in the hand as they fall. 

 It will also be useful for pealing them off the 

 sides of walls, banks, etc. ; and even on the 

 ground it will often save stooping or kneeling 

 where the soil is damp. Many may be reached 

 and removed from under water, and from wet 

 banks and the sides of deep ditches, with a 

 piece of stout iron wire, crooked to form a 

 hook, and tied on to the stick. 



AEEANaiNa THE SPECIES. 



The species should be kept separate as far 

 as is possible, and should be stored in the 

 apron or the bags, accordiug to their relative 

 sizes and delicacy of structure. On return- 

 ing home, the first task should be to endea- 

 vour to name them ; if, however, we intend 



Fig. 6.— Blade on 

 Stick. 



Fig. 7.— Blade on 

 Umbrella. 



leaving the naming to some friend after the 

 specimens are dried, we mu^t put the date of 

 collecting and district with each, and if we 

 have more than we can readily dry, expose 

 the others to the air of a warm room, thinly 

 spread on blotting-paper, and when dry may 

 be placed away and pressed at any future 

 period, as will be explained presently. 



