viii PKEFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 



and I finally decided to make it quite a secondary con- 

 sideration, and have, therefore, generally given only 

 indications, so as not to swell out the book to an inor- 

 dinate size, thereby increasing the price. 



My warmest thanks are due and are hereby gratefully 

 tendered to Dr. Braithwaite, P.L.S., for his kind per- 

 mission to make a full use of his " Monograph of the 

 Sphagnaceae," and, so far as it is published, of his mag- 

 nificent work the "British Moss-Flora," which, for the 

 British Islands, will take rank alongside the "Bryologia 

 Europea," and I wish him health and strength to com- 

 plete it. The genus Sphagnum is, with his consent, a 

 condensation of the former work, both as to arrange- 

 ment and diagnoses, and I have gladly availed myself 

 of his permission with regard to the latter, particularly 

 as regards the Dicranacese, Andreaeaceaa, &c. Almost 

 equal thanks must be given to my friend Mr. H. Bos- 

 well, for much valuable assistance on critical points, 

 for specimens kindly contributed and lent, and for 

 many useful suggestions ; also to Mr. Jas. Bagnall, of 

 Birmingham. 



I have also compared my diagnoses carefully with 

 the second edition of Schimper's "Synopsis" and 

 Mueller's " Synopsis," and where I have considered it 

 requisite, have added to or modified my previous de- 

 scriptions on these lines, besides carefully examining 

 many of the species over, again, so that every species 

 and genus has been very diligently revised and, I trust, 

 improved. With these few remarks therefore I 

 commit the book to British Bryologists, in the hope 

 that it may prove useful to them, and be a means of 

 directing others to the study of the British Mosses. 



CHAS. P. HOBKIRK. 



1st May, 188i. 



