142 HISTORY OF BRITISH MOSSES. 



Through bursting tears of joy he smiled, 

 And while he raised the teudril wild. 

 His lips o'erflow'd with praise. 



" Oh ! shall uot He who keeps thee green, 

 Here in the waste, unknown, unseen. 



Thy fellow-exile save ? 

 He who commands the dew to feed 

 Thy gentle flower, can surely lead 



Me from a scorching grave." 



By another poet he is thus made to express himself: — 



" Thy tender stalks, and fibres fine. 



Here find a shelter from the storm : 

 Perhaps no human eye but mine 



Ere gazed upon thy lovely form. 

 He that form'd thee, little plant. 



And bade thee flourish in this place. 

 Who sees and knows my every want. 



Can still support me with his grace." 



2. DiCRANUM ADiANTOiDES, Sw. {Adiautum-like Fork 

 Moss.) Seta lateral ; perichsetial leaves ovate^ sliglitly con- 

 volute, pointed. — Eng. M, p. 36. Tissidens adiantoides, 

 MillL Syn. fjt. I.^J. 51. 



Moist banks, dripping rocks, and bogs. Fr. Spring. A 

 large and elegant species. As it is later in fruiting, its 

 capsules will often be found in fine condition by the botanist 

 in search of flowering-plants. 



