LOCALITIES. 



England \ 



Wales I universally distributed, on elevated moors and heaths. 

 Scotland f '' 



Ireland j 



The Commou Club-moss, Wolf's-claw, or Stag's-hom is the only 

 species of Lycopodium that can be spoken of as abundant in Britain. 

 It occiu-s on most of our moors and heaths, especially when rather more 

 elevated than the surrounding country j for instance, in the vicinity of 

 London it is found on Hampstead Heath, High Beech, the Addington 

 Hills, &c. It is abundant on nearly all the mountains of the north 

 of England, Wales and Scotland, and is found occasionally, but less 

 frequently, in similar situations in Ireland. 



This club-moss is a handsome and interesting plant. I have heard 

 of a lady who had a ball-dress ornamented with its graceful festoons ; 

 and Linneus relates that in Lapland he saw the boys with their heads 

 decorated with chaplets or wreaths formed of it, the double spikes 

 projecting on all sides, a sight which reminded him of the fauns and 

 satyrs : * and Tragus says that the girls in Germany make it into 

 chaplets and belts. f 



Old Gerarde has some remarks on the subject which are so plea- 

 sant, that I think my readers will not object to my quoting them at 

 length. " There is another kinde of mosse which I have not elsewhere 

 found than upon Hampstead Heath, neere unto a little cottage, grow- 

 ing close upon the gi'ound amongst bushes and brakes, which I have 

 shewed unto divers surgeons of London that have walked thither with 

 mee for their further knowledge in simples, who have gathered this 

 kinde of mosse, whereof some have made them hatbands, girdles, and 

 also bands to tye such things as they have before gathered, for the 

 which purpose it most fitly served ; some pieces whereof are six or 

 eight foot long, consisting as it were of many hairy leaves set upon a 

 tough string, very close couched and compact together, from which is 

 also sent forth certain other branches like the first : in smadry places 

 there be sent down fine little strings, which serve instead of roots, 

 wherewith it is fastened to the upper part of the earth, and taketh 

 hold likewise upon such things as grow next unto it. There spring 

 also from the branches bare and naked stalkes, on which grow cer- 

 taine eares as it were like the catkins or blowings of the hasell-tree, in 



* Vidi aliquando, grato spectaculo, pueros Lapponum ex hoc musco serta confe- 

 cisse capitique suo eadem imposuisse, horrentibus undique spicis distichis, hirsutie 

 Faunis et Satyris similes. — ' Flora Lapponica,' p. 339. 



t Virgines ct scrta ct cingula ex hoc musco conficiunt.— ' De Stirp. Norn.' 554. 



