262 Mosses to be Found in May. 



We are not aware whether Mr. Valentine has fulfilled his 

 hopes of turning these stomata of mosses to account in the 

 arrangement of genera ; and for ourselves we incline to prefer 

 more obvious characteristics as the foundation of generic dis- 

 tinctions ; because, though every trace of nature's workings 

 must be teeming with interest and pleasure to the initiated, we 

 would lay on no additional bolts and bars to impede the 

 entrance of the uninitiated into this temple of wonders. 



But we have dwelt long enough on Funaria hygrometrica ; 

 before, however, turning to the other two members of this 

 genus which we will briefly describe, we would just remark 

 that F. hygrometrica has received from the French the name 

 of La Charbonniere, from its frequent occurrence on those parts 

 of woods, heaths, and moors which have been charred by firQ, • 

 or where anything has been burnt ; it ought therefore to be a 

 constant follower in the wake of the gipsy's camp. 



In the two remaining Funarias the fruit-stalk is straight, i.e.) 

 not arcuate, and the capsules destitute of an annulus. 



In Funaria Hibernica, or the Irish cord-moss, the fruit-stalk 

 throughout its length twists to the left when dry, and the 

 capsule is shortly pyriform, with a convex and papillate lid ; 

 the leaves are ovate-oblong, spreading, sharply serrated, 

 and gradually tapering to an acuminated point. It was origi- 

 nally found by Mr. J. Drummond on a chalky soil, near 

 Cork, and has since been met with by Mr. Wilson, as 

 mentioned by him in his Bryologia Britannica, on a limestone 

 soil, near Matlock in Derbyshire, and also near Gonway, 

 North Wales. But, as he remarks, it is often confounded 

 with Funaria Muhlenbergii, which strongly resembles it, but 

 is somewhat less of stature, and which grows in similar situa- 

 tions, namely on calcareous banks, walls, etc., forming lax 

 patches, with stems from one to three lines only in length, 

 very simple, leafless in the lower part, and rooting only at the 

 base. Tho lower leaves are somewhat spreading or reflex ed, 

 tho upper ones moro erect, larger than the lower, concave, 

 widely ovate, :md suddenly acuminated, not gradually as in 

 J' 7 . Jlihi ■nu'ra , and instead of being acutely serrated, the serra- 

 tures are blunt; tho capsule is still more shortly pyriform, 

 smooth, sub-erect, BOmewnat constricted below tho mouth when 

 dry, and of a yellowish or reddish-brown coloiir. Tho fruit- 

 stalk is about half an inch in length, and, as in F. hygrornet/rica, 

 tho upper part twists to the right when dry, and tho lower 

 part in the opposite direction; tho lid too is furnished with a 

 reddish border, and the outer peristome is of a bright red tint. 

 The calyptra is yellowish, the spores are granular on the 

 surface, and twice as large as those of F. hygrometrica. 



All three arc found in fruit in May, and F. Muhlenbergii 



