FOSSIL MOSSES. 109 



that only one species of Hypmim had been recorded from North 

 America, and this proves to be a Lycopodium. Mosses occur fossil in 

 peat-bog-s and glacial drift, but they are usually not petrified, and 

 generally closely allied or identical with living species of aquatic 

 habit. One species has been found in Europe bearing fruit, and was 

 originally described as Gyinnostomitm ferrugineiini on account of its 

 being found in brown iron-stone in Tertiary deposits in France. 

 Schimper later concluded that it was a species of Sphagnum, and re- 

 described it as Sphagnum Ludivigii, stating that it is related to vS". 

 cymbifoliuvi and 5. subseciinduvi. I have seen the plates and am dis- 

 posed to agree with him, especially as the Sphagnums would be likely 

 to grow in wet places where the iron-stone was forming, and the cap- 

 sules are larger than those of Gymnostonnun and, like them, without 

 teeth. The absence of mosses as fossils in the earlier rocks is not ac- 

 counted for, though Heer supposed they may have been present in the 

 Liassic rocks on account of the presence of Byrrhidium, an insect 

 which is known to feed on living species. In the Pleistocene deposits 

 of Canada several mosses occur and have been referred to the following 

 living species : Hypnuvi cominutatiim and H. revolvens ; two others were 

 simply listed as Fontinalis and Br yum. These were found at Scarboro 

 Heights on Lake Ontario, and Green's Creek, Ottawa, preserved in 

 clay nodules and indurated peat, associated with pine, cedar, leaves of 

 rushes and a species of Chara. In Europe the genera are much more 

 numerous and include species of Phascuiii, Dicranum, Trichostotum, 

 Barbula, Weisia, Grimmia, Polytrichum, Atrichum, and numerous 

 species of Hypmun. These occur in plastic clays and amber, and a 

 full account of them may be found in Schimper's " Treatise on Veg-- 

 etable Palaentology, " published in Paris in 1869, the mosses being 

 described on pages 240-254. The species here described is related to 

 Rhynchostegium rusciformc (Neck.) Br.& Sch., but differs from that spe- 

 cies in its more flattened, less crowded leaves, and more slender stems. 

 The species of Rhynchostegium are rock mosses, with creeping, rooting 

 stems, often stoloniferous and bearing the leaves flattened, ovate or 

 lanceolate, and in several species blunt or rounded at apex. The vein 

 is single and extends from one-half to three-fourths the length of the 

 leaf, and the base is either narrow or somewhat decurrent. This fos- 

 sil species has therefore all the essential characters of the genus, 

 though differing somewhat from all living species. 



Dr. Charles E. Bessey has an instructive article in the January 

 number of the Journal of Applied Microscopy on the management of a 

 botanical laboratory. It is based on an experience of twenty-five 

 years. 



