238 Ll'CHENS. 



climate or by severe cold, and are found growing 

 where no other vegetation is to be seen. 



One species of this tribe of plants, the Li'chen 

 rangiferi'nus, or Reindeer-Moss, is the most use- 

 ful vegetable that grows in Lapland; for it is the 

 principal food of the reindeer, without which va- 

 luable creature the inhabitants of that miserable 

 country could scarcely exist. The rein-deer draws 

 them in sledges over countries buried in snow ; its 

 flesh and milk afford them nourishment, its skin 

 clothing, and even its bones and sinews are made 

 into several useful articles. 



The Rein-deer Lichen, or Rein-deer Moss, as 

 it is sometimes called, is of a whitish colour, and 

 grows in Lapland to the height of at least a foot, 

 covering the ground like snow; but in this country, 

 where it is found in some mountainous situations, 

 it seldom attains the height of six inches. 



The inhabitants of Iceland find another species 

 of lichen, called Iceland-moss, Li'chen Islan'dicus, 

 which grows abundantly in their country, highly 

 serviceable ; they make use of it as food in various 

 ways, and consider it as very nourishing. 



Several different species of lichen afford beautiful 

 dyes ; and one of them, called Dyer's Li'chen, or 

 Orchall, Li'chen roccel'la, is particularly valuable, 

 from its communicating various shades of purple 

 and crimson to wool and silk. The plant, which 

 is brought chiefly from the Archipelago and the 



