406 



THE MICROSCOPE. 



the shape of a cross, and the seeds distending in a cloud of brown dust. 

 If this dust be examined by the microscope, a number of curious 

 little chains, looking something like the spring of a watch, will be found 

 among it, their use being to scatter the seeds ; and if the seed-vessel 

 be examined while in the act of bursting, these 

 little springs will be found twisting and writh- 

 ing about like a nest of serpents. The undu- 

 lated Hair-moss (Polytrichum undulatum), fig. 

 194, is found on moist shady banks, and in 

 woods and thickets. The seed-vessel has a cu- 

 rious shaggy cap ; but in its construction it is 

 very similar to that of the Screw-moss, except 

 that the fringe round its opening is not twisted. 

 The Funaria hygrometrica is a remarkable 

 moss, differing widely in its powers of adapta- 

 tion, and, consequently, in its 'greater geogra- 

 phical range, from most of its congeners. The 

 Funaria is found in fruit, not only in London, 

 but in every brick-field around it. The peris- 

 tome of this moss is one of our most beautiful 

 microscopic objects. 



CONFERVOIDE^E. ALGM. 



The jointed conferva and some algse are 

 met with in the smallest accumulations of fresh 



water standing for any length of time in the 

 Undulated Hair Moss. J 



open air. They present the appearance of 



thread-like tubes, having joints differing in length, and the manner in 

 which their contents are arranged. They multiply by means of little 

 granules contained in their tubes, which are enclosed in tube after tube 

 gradually added to the end of the previous one. Among these con- 

 fervaB, the most remarkable are the Zognema and Oscillatoria, both of 

 which evince certain degrees of approach to the animal kingdom. The 

 species of the latter genus form dark green and purple slimy patches 

 in damp places, or in water, and are exceedingly remarkable for the 

 power they possess of moving spontaneously. When in an active 

 state, their tubes are seen to unite and twist about, just as if they were 

 vegetable worms ; but they grow like plants, and their manner of 

 increase is also vegetable. Disjointed algse are extremely curious ; 

 they are characterised by their original or final spontaneous separa- 



