stabler: HEPATICi*: AND MUSCI OF WESTMORLAND. 315 



All these, together with the position of the county, its temperature, 

 its excessive and varied rainfall, its geological constitution, the 

 altitude of its mountains, and its proximity to the sea, combine to 

 make it a district peculiarly well adapted as a home for mosses. 

 When thoroughly explored, it should stand amongst the foremost 

 English counties from a bryological point of view, and occupy no 

 mean position when compared with other parts of the British Islands. 



It will perhaps not be out of place here to give a short account 

 of Westmorland bryology. In this part of the subject I have been 

 greatly assisted by the generous permission of Mr. Harry Arnold, of 

 Arnbarrow, to consult his valuable library containing several old and 

 rare books, especially connected with local botany. The works 

 herein mentioned will be found arranged in chronological order. 

 From the older writers, the few Westmorland mosses with their 

 habitats are extracted, and I have to the earlier references added 

 synonyms when necessary. 



The record commences with Polytrichum coinmiifie (L.), that 

 handsome giant among acrocarpous mosses. It was first described in 

 a catalogue of plants found around Geissen (1718) by Dillenius, at 

 which time Ray had been dead thirteen years. As Dillenius edited the 

 3rd edition (1724) of Ray's Synopsis, he is answerable for the 

 insertion of the Westmorland locality, although in his Historia 

 Muscorujii of 1741 it is not mentioned. 



1724. Dillenius (Ray). Synopsis Methodica Stirp. Brit., ed. 3. 



' Polytnchiim vidgare et inajus capsula qiiadrangulari . Great 

 Golden Maiden-hair or Goldilocks. \Polytrichujn commutie L.] 

 In paludosis et putrido copiosissime in montosis. — Westmor- 

 landicis, etc' 

 1777. Stephen Robson. The British Flora. 



^ Fontinalis squajHosa L. In brooks in Westmorland.' p. 272. 



^ Fontinalis pennata L. Huds. \Neckera fotitinaloides (Lam.). 

 N. pumila Bry. Brit] On trunks of trees in woods between 

 Troutbeck and Ambleside in Westmorland.' p. 272. 

 Phase U7n pedunculatum Huds. \Splach71um pedtmculatum 

 (Huds.) Lindb. S. sphcericuvi Bry. Brit.] On moist heaths in 

 • Westmorland.' p. 272. 



^ Bryum apocarpuin L. YGriminia apocarpa Sch. Syn. 

 {Schistidiuin Bry. Brit.).] In Westmorland.' p. 281. 



Obs. — It may be observed that at least two out of the four fore- 

 going mosses are probably in the first edition of Hudson's 

 Fl. Angl., 1762, in which case the Fl. Angl. should precede 

 Robson's Brit. Fl. I have only had access to the 2nd and 

 3rd editions of Fl. Angl. 



Oct. 1888. 



