HOW TO EXAMINE A MOSS. 



By CP. HoBKiRK, F.L.S. 



It has been suggested that if a few papers on elementary science, 

 practically treated, were to appear occasionally in the Naturalist, they 

 would materially increase its interest in the minds of many of its 

 subscribers, and would also probably help many of the younger 

 students in their labours. The matter has been talked over amongst 

 some of our friends, and several promises of assistance in this way 

 have been given. It is in the hope of stimulating those gentlemen 

 who have so promised to begin their labours, by setting them the 

 example, that I have been led to publish the following notes, and I 

 trust they will shortly be followed by several others on different 

 branches of Natural History. 



Before examining our moss, it will be necessary — like the cook with 

 the hare — first to get our moss. It is not my intention to write any- 

 thing more on this point, as Dr. Parsons, F.G.S., has already given 

 full directions for the purpose in his excellent paper on "Flowerless 

 Plants and their Habitats," in vol. iv. pp. 23 and 49. 



Having, then, visited some suitable locality — say an old damp 

 wall — in early spring, and gathered there a very showy and pretty 

 looking moss, we must now proceed to find out what it is — what is its 

 name. I would here observe, that the simple naming of any object in 

 Natural History is not to be the ultima thule of our ambition ; at the 

 same time it is undoubtedly necessary, before we can go any further 

 with advantage in our researches, that we should know the name of 

 the object under examination ; and then we can go further, and learn 

 something of its relations to other species of the same genus, and to 

 other genera and families ; its comparative structure and functions, and 

 its geographical distribution, &c. In the study of mosses nearly all 

 these points, however, have to be considered, to a greater or less extent, 

 together, before we can arrive at the name ; and having once got the 

 name, we already know a good deal of its intimate structure. 



It is necessary that we should have some tools, and particularly a 

 microscope of some kind. As a hint to beginners I would say, avoid 

 all cheap (1) showy-looking instruments ; they are a delusion and a 

 snare. I may add, without wishing to be invidious, that one of the 

 best instruments I have seen for our purpose is made by Mr. Charles 

 Collins, of 137, Great Portland Street, London. This is called the 



Histological Microscope," and its great advantages are that the tube 

 is made of the full diameter, so that the eye-pieces of all the best 

 makers will fit into it ; and it is also made with registration screw for 



