82 



POPULAR HISTORY OF LICHENS. 



species are of the nature of Mannite, or the sugar of manna. 

 By a beautiful provision of Nature, nutritive species occur 

 precisely under the circumstances where they are most 

 wanted — in northern or Arctic countries, or on arid steppes, 

 where grain-stuffs are unknown, and food of a better kind 

 is frequently scarce or deficient. In illustration we shall only 

 here cite the "Iceland Moss" {Cetraria Islandica), which, 

 in the form of bread, soup, or jelly, or mixed with other 

 articles of diet, constitutes the basis of the food of the poor 

 Icelander, and which he also gives as fodder to his cattle 

 and domestic animals ; the " Reindeer Moss" (Cladonia ran- 

 giferina), which frequently forms the principal winter food 

 of the Reindeer, the chief or sole wealth of the Laplander : 

 the " Tripe de Roche," or Rock Tripe, of the Arctic regions 

 (various species of Umbilicaria) , which has frequently been 

 the means* of preserving for weeks or months the lives of the 

 enterprising bands led by Franklin and other Arctic travel- 

 lers; and a kind of manna (certain species of Lecanora), 

 which has sometimes served as food for hordes of men and 

 cattle in the arid steppes of various countries lying between 

 Algiers and Tartary. In many countries various Lichens 

 are collected as winter fodder for cattle ; and in northern lati- 

 tudes, especially during winter, they serve as food for wild 

 animals. 



