THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 123 



Genus Hesperilla — contd. Genus Hesperilla — contd. 



tasmanicus, Misk. eclipsis, Butl. 



humulis, Misk. flammeata, Butl. 



compacta, Butl. | Genus Taractrocera, Butl. 



syn. scejrficalis, Rosen. | papyria, Bois. 



DESCRIPTION, COLLECTION, AND PRESERVATION 

 OF MOSSES. 



By R. A. Bastow. 



(Bead before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, Nov. 14, 1892.) 



The subject appointed for this evening's consideration is one 

 that has afforded my friends and myself many happy hours, and, 

 like all other subjects of natural history, is laden with charms. 

 The great natural order of mosses is ever at our side. On 

 almost every wall top these tiny plants rear their capsules, 

 holding them aloft to inhale the passing breeze or to reap the 

 benefit of the maturing sun-ray ; as we wander through the 

 fields they are under our feet, forming a carpet far more luxurious 

 than that of any Oriental loom ; they are over our heads as we 

 thread our way through the bush ; they throw a gentle mantle 

 over their brethren of larger growth, and who have succumbed to 

 the stormy blast, that none may mock the dead ; they enlighten 

 the storm-beaten cliff of sombre grey; they glisten on the sides 

 and roof of the cavern ; they twirl in the purling stream : and 

 form a glad luxuriance of humble beauty in niche, on bank, on 

 rock, and everywhere. 



Inflorescence. — The antheridia of these humble plants are 

 minute, oblong bodies, intermixed with a number of jointed 

 filaments, termed paraphyses. These are enclosed by leaves, and 

 altogether form a small bud-like flower, or they are sometimes 

 surrounded by short spreading leaves, and in the latter case the 

 antheridia are visible from above. Some species of these latter 

 flowers cannot fail to attract the attention of the most casual 

 observer, appearing as they do to the unassisted vision, even at 

 the distance of two yards, as glittering green or reddish stars 

 dotted about on the darker green masses of moss that cushion 

 the moist and clayey bank. 



The archegonia, or female inflorescence, consists also of small 

 oblong bodies, swollen at the base; individually they are not 

 unlike a flask in appearance, the upper portion or neck being in 

 some respects analogous to the style and stigma of a flowering 

 plant ; these are also mixed with paraphyses, and in some 

 species they may be found with antheridia in the same flower; 

 they are then syncecious. When the antheridia are on the 

 same plant with the capsule, the moss is called monoecious, 

 and when on separate plants dioecious. 



The contents of the antheridia are of vital importance to the 



