CRYPTOGAMIA MUSCI. r(Si 



The pednncles are reddifh, about halt an inch 

 high, and arife near the bafe of the fccondary 

 branches. The caplules are cylindrically oval, 

 erecft, of a yellowifli brown colour when ripe. 

 The operculum is acutely conical ; the rim ci- 

 liated ; the Capfules are rarely found. 



Ohf. Mosses, by the inconfiderate mind, are ge- 

 nerally deenrd an ufclefs or infignificant parr of 

 the creation. That they are not is evident only 

 from hence ; that He who made them has made 

 nothing; in vain, bur, on the contrary, has pro- 

 nounced all his works to be very gocd. Many 

 of their ufes we know •, that they have many 

 more which we know nor, is unqueftionable, 

 fince there is probably no one thing in the un;- 

 verfe ot which we can dare to allert that we 

 know nil tlicir ufes. Thus n)uch vv^e are cer- 

 tain of with refpc-t :o moires •, tii.u as they 

 flourifh moil in Winter, and at that time cover 

 the ground with a beautiful green carper, in 

 many places which womIu be othervvije naked, 

 and when little verdure is eUtwiierc to be leen, 

 fo at the fame time they fnehtr and prefcrve the 

 feeds, roots, genis, and embryo plants ot many 

 vegetables, which would otherwife perilli -, they 

 furnifh materials for birds to build their nclls 

 with ; they afford a warm Winter's retreat for 

 fome quadrupeds, fuch as bears, dormice, and 

 the like, and for numberlefs infefts, whicl: are 

 the food of birds and fiPnes, and thcfe agnin 



the 



