proper nutriment,) it is rarely accompanied 

 with any of the more beautiful fpecies of it's 

 kind ; and when thus unfupported, it always 

 difgufts. This white mofs, by the way, is 

 efteemed a certain mark of age ; and when 

 it prevails in any degree, is a clear indication, 

 that the vigour of the tree is declining. We 

 find alfo another fpecies of mofs, of a dark 

 brown colour, inclining nearly to black : 

 another of an afhy colour j and another of a 

 dingy yellow. We may obferve alfo touches 

 of red ; and fometimes, but rarely a bright 

 yellow, which is like a gleam of fun-fhine ; 

 and in many trees you will fee one fpecies 

 growing upon another ; the knotted brimftone- 

 coloured fringe clinging to a lighter fpecies > 



or the black foftening into red. Strictly 



fpeaking, many of thefe excrefcences, which 

 I have mentioned under the general name of 

 moffes, mould be diftinguifhed by other names. 

 All thofe particularly, which, cling clofe 

 to the bark of trees, and have a leprous, fcab- 

 by appearance, are clafled, I believe, by 

 botanifts, under the name of lychens : others 

 are called truer-worts. But all thefe excre- 

 fcences, under whatever names diftinguifhed, 

 add a great richnefs to trees ; and when they 



are 



