MOSSES. 105 



carriage a couple of miles before reaching the town, we 

 followed a footpath leading through the woods by the 

 river's side. In the lowest and most shady part of the 

 wood we found the Fox-tail Frond moss (Isothecium 

 alopecurum, Plate VIII., fig. 2), both carpeting the ground 

 and hanging, tapestry-like, from the rocks ; its short oval 

 urns were already developed, though the weak young 

 stalks were variously bent, and not as upright as they would 

 be later in the season. This moss also has a tree-like 

 habit, but it varies from the true Tree moss in being- 

 twice branched. Surely this must have been the sug- 

 gester of the friendship between the moss and the poet 

 in Dana's Plea : — 



" He praised my varied hues, — the green, 

 The silver hoar, the golden brown ; 

 Said lovelier hues were never seen : 

 Then gently pressed my tender down. 



" And when I sent up little shoots 



He called them trees in fond conceit ; 

 Like silly lovers in their suits, 



He talked, his care awhile to cheat. 



" I said, I'd deck me in the dews, 



Could I but chase away his care ; 

 And clothe me in a thousand hues, 



To bring him joys that I might share." 



The Leskeas are pretty feathery creeping mosses, with 

 oval urns on erect stalks, distinguished from Hypnunis, 

 which they much resemble, by this peculiarity. The 

 Many-nowered Leskea (L. polyantha) forms a pretty 

 covering for rocks or tree stumps, bearing its myriad urns 



