32 CRYPTOGAMIA-MUSCI. 



late, acuminate, entire, concave, curved ; fruit stalks 1 inch ; cap- 

 sule cylindraceous, sub-erect ; lid conical, with a point. 



Hal. On banks, and at the roots of trees, common. Spring. 



30. H. molluscum, stems pectinate ; leaves sickle-shaped, lanceo- 

 late, acuminated, serrated, faintly 2-nerved at the base ; fruit- 

 stalks 1 inch ; capsule ovate, cernuous ; lid conical. 



Hab. Mossy banks and on rocks in woods, common. Winter. 



An elegant species, with repeatedly-divided stems, lying over 

 each other in loose elastic tufts. Branches beautifully pec- 

 tinated, their extremities curled like ostrich plumes in mi- 

 niature. SMITH says that it perfects its fruit in May and 

 June, and is rare in that state ; but in this neighbourhood 

 it bears fruit abundantly every year at the commencement 

 of winter. 



j- -J- Leaves with a mesial nerve. 



31. H. JiZicinum, stem pinnate; branches simple; leaves broadly 

 ovate, acuminate, almost straight, nerved to the point, serrulate ; 

 " fruitstalks 2 inches ; capsules oblong-ovate, curved, cernuous ; 

 lid conical." 



Hab. Bogs, not common. Haiden Dean. 



Mr ARNOTT is of opinion that there are no certain limits be- 

 tween this and the following species. The length of the 

 nerve and shape of the leaf vary on the same specimens ; 

 and, even under a high magnifying power ? they are often 

 quite entire or very slightly toothed. (In Litt.) Our own 

 specimens support this opinion, being just intermediate be- 

 tween the best marked examples of both species. 



32. H. commutatum, stems pinnate, plume-like; leaves small, 

 sickle-shaped, ovate-acuminated, the nerve evanescent ; fruitstalks 

 1 1 inch ; capsule oblong-ovate, curved, cernuous ; lid conical. 



Hab. "Wet places, particularly on dripping rocks in a cal- 

 careous soil, frequent. It is rare in fruit, but Mr BAIRD 

 has gathered it in that state in different parts of Ber- 

 wickshire. 



In the Muscologia Britannica, the leaves are described and 

 delineated as rather strongly serrated. They appear to 

 me to be entire or nearly so, as SMITH says they are. It 



