INTRODUCTION. 5 



Tabular View of the Geographical Distribution of the principal Acotyledons ; accord- 

 ing to the region or the height at lohich a corresponding climate is reached. 

 The luxuriance and prevalence of each tribe are denoted by capitals. The 

 height in feet is not given, this varying in different latitudes. 



Arctic or Ant- 

 arctic. 

 (Mountain top) . 



LICHEN. MOSS. Club-Moss. Fern. Fungus. 



P 



JSTorth 

 Temperate. 



LICHEN. MOSS. CLUB-MOSS. Fern. FUNGUS. 

 Equisetum. 



South 

 Temperate. 



LICHEN. MOSS. CLUB-MOSS. FEEN. FUNGUS. 

 EQUISETUM. 



Tropics. 

 (Mountain foot) . 



Lichen. Moss. CLUB-MOSS. FEEN. FUNGUS. 

 EQUiSETUM. 



Of the 3800 mosses and liverworts which Humboldt estimates as the present 

 number of their species^ about 447 mosses are found in the British islands. 

 For their perfect development they require the state of atmosphere obtained at a 

 high levelj combined with continued damp ; and these conditions are fulfilled in the 

 loveliest regions of the earth, the valleys which radiate on all sides from a 

 mountain chain. High above the sea-level, their steep sides condense the moist 

 atmosphere attracted by the hills, and here, therefore, is the glory of the moss. 

 These valleys are the loveliest regions of the world in form, in skies, and in 

 clothing. The cui-ves of their sides, the perpendicular Hnes of their rock 

 buttresses, are the grandest of Natm'e's lines. Above their heights are silently 

 built, day by day, cloud temples such as lowland dwellers never see, snowy 

 ramparts and golden pavements, which in an houi' appear and vanish and 

 leave no ruin, and yet are in appearance the thing we know most like the 

 building of God, which is eternal in the heavens. Here the trees spring and grow 



