218 MOSSES. CHAP. II. 



first began to direct his attention to the study of 

 the Mosses, when perceiving all that had been 

 previously done with a view to elucidate their 

 fructification to present but a chaos of confusion 

 and contradiction, he found it absolutely necessary 

 to renounce all sort of dependance upon previous 

 opinion and authority, and to examine every 

 thing for himself. This he accordingly did with 

 a degree of caution and scrupulosity,, and patience, 

 never yet surpassed ; so that by employing glasses 

 of a higher magnifying power than any preced- 

 ing botanist, and taking no fact upon trust, he at 

 length succeeded in obtaining a clear and complete 

 view of the subject, in disencumbering it of the rub- 

 bish with which it had been so long clogged, and 

 in presenting to the cryptogamist a superstructure, 

 not the offspring of his own fancy, but the image of 

 nature. 



According to Hedwig, the Mosses, with regard to 

 their fructification, are for the most part Dicecious, 

 that is having the barren and fertile flowers on 

 separate plants, as in the genus Hypnum, or Poly- 

 trichum. Many of them are, however, Monoecious, 

 that is having the barren and fertile flowers distinct, 

 but on the same plant, as in the genus Phascum ; 

 and a few of them are Hermaphrodite, that is having 

 the barren and fertile flowers united and on the 

 same plant, as in Bryum aureum.* 



*Fund. Hist. Nat. Muse. chap, vi, 



