MOSSES. 47 



I started up, and, disregarding both hunger and 

 fatigue, travelled forwards, assured that relief was 

 at hand — and I was not disappointed." The special 

 moss on this occasion, although we know not upon 

 what evidence, is stated by Dr. Johnson to have 

 been Dicrajinm hryoides. 



Notable Mosses. 



Young Mr. William Hooker was, like many other 

 young men dwelling in the country, very fond of 

 birds, and of studying their habits, so that he became, 

 having plenty of leisure, a good practical ornithologist, 

 but not much interested in botany. We believe that 

 he was living at this time in or near Norv/ich. During 

 one of his country walks over Mousehold Heath, and 

 through Sprowston on the road towards Rackheath, 

 he entered a little wood, and sat down to listen to the 

 notes of some bird. Whilst thus occupied, his atten- 

 tion was riveted by a little moss at his feet, which 

 seemed to him the strangest little plant he had ever 

 seen. It was almost, if not entirely, destitute of 

 leaves, or at least with only a small rosette of minute 

 ciliated leaves, but a comparatively large and con- 

 spicuous reddish capsule. He collected some speci- 

 mens, determined to ascertain its name and history, 

 which resulted in the discovery that it was called 

 Bitxbaitmia aphylla, and that it had never previously 

 been found in England. This little incident led Mr. 

 Hooker, afterwards Sir William Hooker, and the 

 director of Kew Gardens, to turn his attention to 

 botany, and especially to the Higher Cryptogamia, 

 amongst which he laboured earnestly and long. 



