468 Muscologia Itineris Assamici. 



15,790 fell, was inches 225,789. But if we consider that 

 this so far exceeds the maximum amount observed in other 

 places, exposed more directly to the influence of the 

 S. W. monsoon, we may reasonably question the correct- 

 ness of Mr. Cracroft's observations. 



So little attention has been hitherto paid to Indian Mus- 

 cology, that no parallel can be drawn between the Muscology 

 of the Khasiya Hills, and of other mountainous tracts of 

 India. The present collection forms about one-eighth of the 

 whole number, taking Bridel's total amount (J, 324 species) 

 to be nearly correct. And some idea may be formed of the 

 probable great number of species that remain to be found, 

 when I mention, that the whole of the Hill collection was 

 formed between the 8th of October, and the 20th of Novem- 

 ber : and that the most interesting portions of the hills to 

 the Eastward of the route mentioned were not visited. 



I know no arrangements of the genera, except the artificial 

 one employed by Dr. Hooker, and the artificial and natural 

 ones of Bridel, as given in his Bryologia Universalis. Mr. 

 Brown begins his account of the Melville Island Mosses with 

 Polytrichum. No very satisfactory ordination of all the genera 

 has, I believe, as yet been given; nor will it be, until ad- 

 ditional characters have been discovered. At the same time, 

 I think, that several types of organization exist, and that in 

 the larger groups of these, every gradation of development, 

 at least so far as the peristome is concerned, may be ob- 

 served. 



Sphagnum approaches, in some points, to Hepatica, but I 

 doubt the correctness of its being stated to be evaginulate. 

 I have not been able to examine its fruits at different periods, 

 but it appears to me that the only difference between it 

 and the usual form, exists in the cohesion of the true apex 

 of the seta, with the interior of the vaginula. 



Polytrichum, in the structure and origin of its peristome, 



