THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 125 



moss-life — i.e., with the lid cast off — the peristome will be at once 

 revealed, and the brow of royalty was never decked with such a 

 perfectly beautiful crown as this ; it may be single, or double, or 

 triple ; it may be scarlet, or golden, or silvery ; and in all cases 

 admirably adapted for sowing the spores when the surrounding 

 conditions, atmospheric and otherwise, are favourable. One of 

 the most beautiful peristomes is that of Funaria : it is single, and 

 the tips of the teeth are joined in the centre ; if this object be 

 placed under the microscope, the teeth may be seen to move on 

 the centre with the slightest disturbance of the atmosphere ; they 

 are of a fine red colour, and are trabeculated — i.e., each tooth has 

 tranverse bars. 



Leaves. — Some few mosses have distichous leaves, as Fissidens 

 and Cyathophorum ; but there is great variety in their arrange- 

 ment. They are destitute of a footstalk in all cases, and are 

 attached to the stem by their lower edge, sometimes folding over 

 and clasping by the sides. They are also simple and undivided, 

 but are often serrate or dentate. There are sometimes two 

 nerves, sometimes one, and frequently none, to the leaves ; and 

 stomata have not yet been observed, except in the capsule. One 

 of the most beautiful forms may be found in the genus Sphagnum. 

 Each leaf of this plant appears as beautiful lace-work. One form 

 appears to be altogether destitute of leaves, but at the base of the 

 fruit-stalk there are some fine shreds, which serve the purpose of 

 leaves. The plant to which I allude is Buxbaumia aphytta, a 

 rare plant, with a curious oblique, gibbous capsule. 



Fissidens tenellus. — The plant is very minute, say % inch 

 high ; the leaves are linear-lanceolate and acuminate ; the margin 

 is not thickened, but is crenulate, and the sheathing base leaves 

 are denticulate. The nerve is stout and continues to the apex, 

 excurrent, and the cells are minute. The capsule is erect, 

 and the operculum has a beak nearly as long as the capsule. 

 The calyptra is papillose at the apex. The male inflorescence is 

 basilar. At the meeting for practical work, held a few weeks ago, 

 mounted and dried specimens of this moss were distributed to the 

 members present, who were thus enabled to examine all the parts 

 of fructification quite easily. It was a similar plant to the above — 

 viz., Fissidens bryoides — which inspired Mungo Park with trust 

 in a Heavenly Father's care as he espied it on the sultry soil of 

 Africa. Sad, faint, and weary, one tiny tuft of moss fixed his 

 gaze ; he took fresh courage as he beheld that " He who kept 

 that green" could "its fellow-exile save." 



Collection of Mosses. — In the autumn and winter months 

 the mosses in low-lying localities will generally be found in their 

 greatest perfection, whilst in the spring and summer months 

 those growing in more or less mountainous districts are at their 

 best, and it is probable that Victoria is as highly favoured as any 

 country in the world for its vast profusion of mosses. Extensive 



