126 THE WOODLANDS. 



narrow slit down the centre. Two or three 1 of the 

 common species are found on oak, beech, elm, ash, 

 birch, holly, &c., and are a transition series to another 

 group, in which the powdery stratum is so thin and 

 delicate that, if present, it can scarcely be seen. The 

 fruit-cups are entirely replaced by long, narrow, thin, 

 and fantastically curved and branched raised lines, 

 with a slit down the centre. 2 These often resemble 

 the characters of Oriental writing, and most of their 

 names contain some allusion to this peculiarity. 



There is only one other lichen to which we are 

 able to allude. It is one which is found on dead 

 wood, and the substratum is not distinguishable. 

 It consists of little, erect, hair-like black stems, with 

 a round black head at the top, and resembling small 

 black pins thrust into the wood, with the heads ex- 

 posed. These heads contain the spores, as in some 

 other forms they are produced in cups, and altogether 

 so small as scarcely to be seen by the naked eye. 3 



As we have now done with the plant-life of the 

 woods, let us end with lines which but repeat in 

 poetical language what we have urged in prose : 



" Not a plant, a leaf, a flower but contains 

 A folio volume. We may read, and read, 

 And read again, and still find something new, 

 Something to please, something to instruct, 

 Even in the noisome weed," 



1 Opegrapha. 2 Graphis. 3 Calicium. 



