172 The Irish Naturalist. [July, 



eighteen counties are mentioned. Irish bryologists are 

 unhappily few in number, and the places of those best known, 

 who in recent years have gone ad phcrcs, have not been filled. 

 Such researches as I have been able to make during the past 

 winter (the season in which most of the species of the genus 

 Fissidais are in perfection) have been rewarded by the 

 detection in the neighbourhood of Lisburn of three scarce 

 species, F. cxilis, F, incurviis and F. viridnlus. Specimens of 

 each have been examined by Mr. H. N. Dixon, M.A., F.L-S., 

 for whose kindness therein, and in various other wa3'S I wish 

 here to express my most sincere thanks. F. pusilhcs, a species 

 which Mr. Stewart discovered in Co. Antrim some years ago 

 (and which is not known elsewhere in Ireland), and /'. taniarin- 

 difolius, which I have had in view, have so far eluded me, but 

 these I hope may yet be found. 



Polytrichum g^racile, Dicks.— Damp peaty places ou White Mouii- 

 taiu, Co. Antrim. Moore states that it is common in Ireland. It is 

 not found to be so in the North, but, as he says, it may sometimes be 

 passed over as a weak state of P. coinmtme, to which it has a general 

 resemblance. 



Dlcranella crlspa, Schp. — With Polytrichum nanum var. longisctiim.on 

 a sandy bank by the Ravarnette river, near lyisburn, Co. Down, where 

 it was abundant and in good fruit in November. It is one of the 

 rare species, first recognized as Irish near Belfast by Templeton in 

 the beginning of the present century. 



Dlcranella SQuarrosa, Schp. — In wet places on White Mountain, 

 Co. Antrim. 



DIcranoweisia cirrata, Lindb.— On Hornbeam and other trees in 

 several places about L,isburn, Co. Antrim. Seems to be rare in 

 Ireland (though frequent in England), and cannot now be found in 

 Templeton's original locality, which was the only other station for 

 this moss in Co. Antrim. 



Flssldens exills, Iledw. — On a clay bank, by the roadside, near the 

 quarry, at the foot of White Mountain, Co. Antrim. One of our 

 rarest Irish mosses, hitherto known only in two places, both near 

 Belfast, the last notice of it being by Mr. Stewart (iSSo). A very 

 minute and beautiful species, which mij;ht be overlooked for a small 

 form o{ P. l»yo ides, but, even without close examination, the short 

 bright red seta and large acutely-conical lid, which is about as long 

 as the capsule, will be found to be good distinguishing characters.^ 



1 Since writing this I am informed that P. exilis has recently been met 

 with by Mr. S, A. Moore, also in Co. Antrim. 



