MOSS HABITATS. 43 



may be found from October to April. Fruit-stalk terminal ; 

 capsule curved with an oblique beaked lid. 



Plagiothedum undulatum grows in large flattened patches 

 of whitish-green colour. The stems are prostrate, and the 

 leaves distichous (i.e. inserted in two opposite rows), 

 membranous in texture, egg shaped and pointed, and 

 noticeable for the tranverse undulations which characterize 

 them. The fruit-stalk is lateral; capsule oblong, curved, 

 and turned to one side ; lid beaked. The plant is very rare 

 in fruit, which should be looked for in April or May. 



Hypnum piliferum occurs on shady banks and in woods 

 and is rarely found in fruit. It grows in large patches, 

 much like H. purum^ both in general appearance and mode 

 of growth. The leaves are imbricated, slightly wavy, 

 elliptical in shape, and suddenly contracted into a long 

 hair-like point. These characters will distinguish it from 

 any allied species. 



Hypnum Schreberi is also frequent in woods, and may also 

 be found in bushy places on heaths. It has much the 

 aspect of H. purum, from which it may be known readily 

 if the plant be held between the eye and the light, when 

 the beautiful red stem will be seen contrasting with the 

 yellowish green of the leaves ; in If. purum the stem is pale 

 green. The leaves are elliptical in shape and imbricated, 

 concave, and terminated by a short point. Fruit-stalk 

 lateral. The fruit is rare, and should be looked for from 

 November to April. 



A newly ploughed field, or, better still, one that has lain 

 fallow for some little time, although presenting few charms 

 for the general observer of Nature, will be spots to which 

 the would-be bryologist must give his particular attention ; 

 and during those dreary months which intervene between 

 October and April he will, if in any way an enthusiast, find 

 plenty of work for his microscope. 



The mosses to be found in such habitats are usually the 

 simplest, from a pretty point of view the least noticeable, 

 and the shortest lived of any he may study, and when pre- 

 served for the herbarium are, perhaps, the most disappoint- 

 ing, looking very often more like dried masses of mud than 



