THE TRUE MOSSES 133 



by intimate knowledge,, and the naturalist who hitherto 

 has been content to admire the Mosses is hereby en- 

 joined to study them. Such a study will yield an 

 abundant reward. 



In order to familiarize the reader with the life-history 

 of a Moss, we propose to examine a type, the Common 

 Cord-Moss, Funaria hygrometrica, of which some par- 

 ticulars are shown on Plate IV. This species, not more 

 than I inch in height, grows in tufts on the ground, on 

 walls, waste ground, and it seems particularly partial to 

 soil on which rubbish has been burned. The tufts are 

 of a bright green colour. Examining a single plant, we 

 see that the leaves, which are pellucid — and although 

 small in themselves, in comparison with other Moss 

 plants of similar size, are large — grow in clusters near the 

 ground. The stem branches, the branches being erect 

 like the stem. The plant is attached to its substratum 

 by threadlike root-hairs, or rhizoids. These absorb 

 nutrient solutions, but are not true roots, such not 

 being found in any of the Bryophytes. The leaves have 

 midribs, are pointed at their tips, and are ovate in 

 outline. 



With the aid of the microscope, we are able to detect 

 in a thin transverse section of the stem three fairly dis- 

 tinct zones of cells. The outer zone is the epidermis, 

 for the most part one cell thick, and composed of small 

 cells. The middle zone is the cortex, much thicker 

 than the epidermis, and the young cells of this zone 

 contain chlorophyll. In the middle is a well-defined 

 strand of long cells with thin walls, which contain no 

 chlorophyll. The probability is that the central strand 

 is specialized for water-conduction. Microscopic ex- 



