APPLIANCES AND MATERIAL REQUIRED. 5 



thoroughly dry. It will be advisable at the same time to 

 place a slip of paper with each package containing a copy 

 of the notes from notebook. When the specimens are dry 

 they may be again wrapped up, and put by for an inde- 

 finite time for future examination. If the mosses are 

 allowed to dry in the unopened papers just as they are 

 gathered they will be nearly certain to become mildewed, 

 and will be very unsightly and useless, and thus the trouble 

 of collecting will have been taken in vain. 



All these details may seem to make the preliminary work 

 very tedious to the beginner, but he will soon get over any 

 irksomeness he may at first feel, and he will be rewarded 

 by his specimens being saved in good condition. 



FIG. I. Bryum caspiticium. i, plant natural size. 2, pendulous capsule ; a, mam- 

 milatelid. 3, peristome ; a, inner membrane ; b, outer teeth. 4, areolation of leaf 



A pocket lens will be required for the examination of the 

 plants in the field, one having a power of about ten dia- 

 meters, i.e. about one inch focal length, will be found 

 serviceable, and if with two powers, i.e. a one inch and a 

 half inch focal length, still more so. These lenses, in horn 

 and other fittings, may be obtained from all opticians, at 

 i s. upwards, the price varying according to the finish of the 

 article. If the School Microscope (mentioned p. 8) is 

 obtained, one or more of the lenses supplied with it may 

 be made to do service in the field ; but if so used, they 

 should always be carried in a small chamois leather bag to 

 protect from scratches. It is better however not to use 

 them for this purpose. 



