OF CURIOSITY. I79 



roots and keep them from freezing ; and gar- 

 deners gather mojfes in the autumn, in order to 

 preferve their plants from the froft ; they are 

 gathered by the birds to build their nefts 5 

 they grow in the moft barren foil ; by degrees 

 they rot towards the bottom, and thus lay a 

 foundation for fertility. 



The bryum bypnoides covers the rocks in the 

 Coldeft mountains. 



The mnium hygrometrkum fhews the drinefs, 

 and moiflure of the atmofphere. 



Some krhds of hrya cover the mountains. 

 Others the marfhes, fome are ufefull in moifl 

 meadow ground, fome fpread over the naked 

 fields, fome are found upon flones, and rocks, 

 others 011 trunks of trees •, and all of them bear 

 the moft fevere winter, when the generality of 

 odier plants grow fickly. 



§• 7- 



As to the lichens or liverworts^ they are not 

 of lefs ufe •, for many of them afford a beauti- 

 full dye. e. g. the roccella yields a moft valu- 

 able red color, Adl. Soc. reg. Scien. 1742. p. 

 2 1 . to which purpofe the lichen tartareus ferves 

 as a fuccedaneum. The Itchenes fiygius^ onii- 

 fhalodes^ &c. afford alio a red dye, and the 

 N 2 lichenes 



