CRYPTOGAMIA ALGIE, 879 



this fcrviceable animal is the mofs we have jult 

 dcfcribed, which the deer are (o fond of, that 

 tho' it is commonly buried at that feafon a great 

 depth beneath the fnow, yet, by fcratching with 

 their feet, and digging with their brow-antlers, 

 they never fail to get at it. In ihort, without 

 it both the rhendeer would penfh and the Lap- 



■ lander too. Thus things which are often deem'd 

 the mod infignificant and contemptible by igno- 

 rant men, are, by the good Providence of GOD, 

 made the means of the greatell bleffings to his 

 creatures. 



Linnaeus informs us that this Lichen grows fo luxu- 

 riant in Lnplmid as to be Ibmetimes found a foot 

 high. 



There are many varieties of it, differing greatly in 

 fize, or in being more or lefs branched -, but 

 that which chiefly deferves our notice is the 



L. fylvaticus. Lin. v/hich, tho' only a variety of 

 the preceding, yet bea:s a different face. The 

 fummits of the branches in this are generally 

 ereft, and always of a reddifn brown or fufcous 

 colour. I'he ftalks are fmalicr, and fometimes, 

 but not always, befet with minute crifped leaves, 

 which are nt^ver 'ictn in the other. The tuber- 

 cles, at the fummits of the branches are laro-er, 

 more cluftered, and of a darker brov/n colour, 

 turning black v/hen old or (^ty. T'le v/holc 

 plant alio turns fufcous by age, while the other 



always 



