WINTER SKETCHES. 1 99 



was completely sealed by a ring of cells growing 

 between the rim of the orifice and cover, that. the 

 vessels might be impervious to the weather dur- 

 ing the growth of the spores. As the cases 

 ripened, the cells were ruptured and the covers 

 then dropped off, and the spores or moss seeds 

 were poured out and sown by the Winter's wind. 



Many mosses blossom in Summer and ripen in 

 Winter. The broidery with which the margins of 

 these spore capsules are ornamented is wonder- 

 fully beautiful and delicate. The common mag- 

 nifier fails to bring out clearly the exquisite 

 workmanship and the exceedingly fine lines and 

 markings. The inner edge of these horns of 

 plenty is regularly fringed with a row of six- 

 teen amber-colored or dark purple translucent 

 teeth, closely articulated and split down about 

 midway ; thus making thirty-two long filaments 

 above, which are evenly bent inward over the 

 top of the case. What is the purpose of these 

 teeth ? They are the thickened parts of the lay- 

 ers of cells, which, as soon as the spore case 

 becomes ripe enough to shed their contents and 

 the covers are detached, appear in all their deli- 

 cate beauty, bending inward or outward, and thus 

 retaining or releasing the tiny fruit, according as 

 the amount of moisture in the air varies. 



Around the outer edge, at the base of the teeth, 

 is a rectangular recess, cut as evenly as a turner 



