X 



INTRODUCTION. 



" The above list," he continues, " does not include the Mosses 

 gathered by Drummond, since we separated. Added to the 

 former collection, it raises the number of species which we know 

 to inhabit those countries, to upwards of 150, and I trust we 

 shall have detected nearly as many more by the time we meet." 



In a work like the present, it will not be expected that we 

 should enter much on the subject of the structure of the Mosses, 

 or their modes of increase, or what have been considered by 

 most authors as the Organs of fructification. Indeed, it is our 

 opinion, even now, notwithstanding some lights that have been 

 thrown upon these subjects, particularly by the German physio- 

 logists, that too little is at present known on these heads to 

 enable us to speak satisfactorily. We have adopted, for the 

 most part, Hedwig's terminology; but we have, in general, 

 declined noticing the male flowers, as they are commonly called, 

 not only because we think their office, or use, is but imperfectly 

 known, but because their existence is often very difficult to be 

 discovered. 



There are two distinct kinds of organs, supposed to be con- 

 nected with the fructification of Mosses, One gives origin to a 

 number of minute granules, which are, by Hedwig and most 

 Botanists, considered as real seeds, and hence called the Capsule ; 

 and the other, which is judged by analogy, and by no means from 

 the test of experiment, to be the Anther, or the organ producing 

 the fertilizing substance. Of these we now proceed to give a 

 short description ; and for the sake of clearness, rather than from 

 a conviction of the real nature of these parts, we shall call them 

 the male and female organs. 



The Mosses bear these male and female flowers separate, either 

 arising from different points on the same individual, or having the 

 two sexes produced upon distinct plants. Each flower, whether 

 male or female, is surrounded by a number of small leaves, which 

 differ from those of the stem, and are called, when taken collec- 



