CRYPTOGAMIA ALGJE. 879 



this fervlceable animal is the mofs we have jufl 

 defcribed, which the deer are fo fond of, that 

 tho' .t is commonly buried at that feafon a great 

 depth beneath the fnow, yet, by fcratching with 

 their feet, and digging with their brow-antlers, 

 they never fail to get at it. In fhort, without 

 it both the rhendeer would perifh and the Laj)- 

 lander too. Thus things which are often deem'd 

 the moll infignificant and contemptible by igno- 

 rant men, are, by the good Providence of GOD, 

 made the mearts of the greatelt bleffings to his 

 creatures. 

 Linnaus informs us that this Lichen grows fo luxu- 

 riant in Lf,pland as to be fometimes found a foot 



high. 



There are many varieties of it, differing greatly in 

 fize, or in being more or lefs branched ; but 

 that which chiefly deferves our notice is the 



L. fylvaticus. Lin, which, tho' only a varietv of 

 the preceding, yet beais a different face. The 

 fummits of the branches in this arc generally 

 ereft, and always of a reddifn brown or fufcous 

 colour. The flalks are fmaller, and fometimes, 

 but not always, befet with minute crifped leaves, 

 which are never {ttn in the other. The tuber- 

 cles, at the fummits of the branches are larger, 

 more cluttered, and of a darker brown colour, 

 turning black when old or dry. The whole 

 plant alfo turns fufcous by age, while the other 



always 



