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MOSSES AND HEPATICS AT CASTLETON, N. YORKS. 
W. INGHAM, B.A., 
York. 
In the Saturday’s route on the recent excursion of the Yorkshire 
Naturalists’ Union at Castleton, it may be of interest to note 
that in connection with the ‘ Vegetation of Swiddens in North- 
East Yorkshire,’ published by Mr. Elgee in ‘ The Naturalist,’ 
Jan. and Feb., 1910, the following Mosses and Hepatics first 
appear on the moor between the dead stems of bracken. 
The blackish, flat, and thin patches are a Liverwort, Lopho- 
zia inflata, which invariably assumes a_ blackish colour 
under dry conditions, such as are found on the Swiddens. 
Under wet conditions, and by the side of water, this plant 
becomes vivid green. 
The only Sphagnum seen in such dry places was S. papil- 
losum var. confertum, a Bog or Peat Moss that shortens and. 
crowds its branches under the ‘ Swidden ’ conditions. 
The only true moss seen was Webera nutans, which occurs 
everywhere on moorlands, whether they be wet or dry, and is 
the typical moss expected to appear first after the heather has 
been burnt. 
Those Members present will remember the beautiful appear- 
ance of another moorland moss, Polytrichum commune, which 
occurred in large crowded patches. The bright sunshine 
brought out the golden colour of the numerous hairy calyptras 
of the capsules to such an extent as to justify the popular names 
given to this moss, viz.: Moor Silk and Great Golden Hair Moss. 
The middle of Ewe Crag Slack is filled with a peat moss, 
Sphagnum recurvum, which under very wet conditions such as 
it delights in, is vivid green, but under the hot sun of this 
excursion, most of it was brown. 
By the side of this Slack an interesting moss, Tetvaplodon 
mnioides, was found, growing on the bones of a sheep. One 
patch of moss taken off had still the skin of the sheep attached 
to it. This species depends for its growth entirely upon the 
remains of domestic animals. 
Another moss found in this valley was Breutelia arcuata. 
The Polytrichum commune mentioned above is the var. 
berigoniale, which is recorded in Yorkshire only from Strensall 
Common. During the Monday’s ramble, a narrow Slack, 
along the top of Fryup Head, was visited. Of course it was 
dry as a result of the very hot weather. It was occupied by 
one of the Harpidioid Hypna, a moss with the name Hypnum 
fluitans, group Amphibium, var. Jeanbernati. This moss 
accommodates itself well to circumstances. When the water 
is plentiful it floats on the surface, and under dry conditions 
it lies on the bed of the Slack. By the side of this Harpidium 
was a large vivid green mass of the Liverwort, Lophozia inflata 
var. laxa. 
Naturalist, 
