136 ^^^^ .\fOSSES. 



scxiial fmit. and tisually appears in minuic clusters 

 uix)n ihc branches of fertile fronds, or else encased 

 in lillle egi; J»hai>ed lo-skeis, or other receptacles. It 

 is also not unfre<inently found eml)cdded in the sub 

 stance of niembraneotis fronds, or heUl in wart-likc 

 protulK-ranres which arise from their surface. 



'Ilie other or asexual sjKjres are jiroduced, ap 

 parently, by a change in some of the vegetable cells 

 of the plant. 'ITicy alw-a>-s apiKar in groups of four, 

 hence their name. " Tr/roj/^orn " or " T ^'--mii/ia: 

 The origmal. or " Mother ceU/' seem i>art its 



contents invariably into four secondar)- tcii;*, and ea< ; 

 of thc-sc is cap:.ble of reproilucing the plant. 'Hi 

 arc found in various situations, but. except in some of 

 the lower pbnts of the group. alwa>'s occur cmUdded 

 in the sul>stance of the fnmd. It is a nile, which o 

 far as I know, has no exception, that the two kinds 

 of fruit ne\er apj^ear upon the same inriivirlual plant. 

 The Red Mosses will no doubt make .4. ihe priu- 

 cii>al iKirt of all your collections. Certainly they ar^. 

 as a general thing, more interesting and more beautiful, 

 and apiK-ar in much greater variety of form, than thn ,• 

 of the other cbsses. Some of them arc mar\clously 

 fine and delicate, and make the most exquisite and 

 fairy-like pictures when spread out upon painrr. Fhe 

 wonder is, how such fragile things can fmd the means 



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