12 ^^.4 MOSSES. 



to that region, which is much riclier in species than 

 our own. But I have taken those plants which 1 

 judged to be the most common and characteristic, 

 and most widely distributed, and such as I knew to 

 be most strikingly beautiful or interesting. In respect 

 to particular places, there are many of them on our 

 eastern coast where the flora is rich and fine, and 

 where thousands of people are in the habit of. going 

 every year. Nothing could be more favorable as 

 places for finding and collecting splendid "Sea Mosses " 

 in great numbers and many varieties than such 

 localities as Mount Desert, the Maine and New Hamp- 

 shire beachesj Isles of Shoals, Cape Ann from Annis- 

 squam clear around to Magnolia, Marblehead, Nahant, 

 Nantasket, Newport, Martha's Vineyard, and Wood's 

 Holl, Orient Point, and the shore at Coney Island, and 

 southward as far as Fort Hamilton. 



CLASSIFICATION. 



Algae are classified by botanists on the basis of 

 their method of reproduction. In a popular work of 

 this kind I have not thought it desirable to enter into 

 the details of this matter, because these organs can 

 be studied only by the aid of a microscope ; and, 

 as I have said, I am writing for those who do not use 

 that instrument, and I hope to be able to so describe 



