STUDIES IN THE 
BRYOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND, 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE HERBARIUM OF 
ROBERT BROWN. 
By H. N. Drxon, M.A., F.L.S.* 
Plates I-IV. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Aut bryologists who in recent years have had much to do with the mosses 
of New Zealand have soon found themselves in deep waters, owing to the 
description by various authors (particularly C. Miller olenso, and 
Robert Brown, of Christchurch) of a large number of ‘species of most of 
which it was impossible to obtain authentic specimens, while the bulk were 
either not figured at all or on such a scale as to afford little help to their 
identity. This has been especially the case with the species described 
in various papers in the “ Transactions of the New Zealand Institute ” 
by the late R. Brown, of ee As an instance of the fertility of 
his labours, it may be reca that in two succeeding papers are N.Z. 
Inst., vol. a pp. 409, 422) be diueosibad twenty-six new species of Grimmia 
and forty of Orthotrichum. The i impossibility of collating these with pre- 
the circumstances this was vtiable but it is none the less st eo as 
Not only does such a treatment do an injustice to Brown’s work—an i 
justice for which he was no doubt himself chiefly vouiptasiible ak it Yas 
put a great barrier in the way of the progress of New Zealand bryology— 
a barrier likely to remain long insurmountable unless something can be 
done to lessen or remove it. To give a slight instance in point : Th have 
had a considerable number of specimens of Orthotricha sent me by Mr. W. 
Gray, of Mauriceville, some of them undoubtedly species undescribed in 
the “ Handbook of the New Zealand Flora” or in any work of European 
origin ; but it is quite impossible to determine whether any or all of them 
are described in the above-cited paper of Brown’s, in the absence of 
*Communicated by Dr. L. Cockayne, F.R.S. Read before the Philosophical 
Institute of sper 6th November, 1912. 
