.86 
NEW ARRANGEMENT OF 
H AB. This extraordinary moss is thinly scattered through 
the forests and heathy parts of middle and northern Eu- 
rope, but is more common in North America. Its natural 
habit appears to be gregarious ; at the same time, and espe- 
cially in this country, it sometimes loses that character. Its 
duration has usually been thought annual from the time of 
LiNN^us to the present ; Mr Stewart, however, finding 
plants in different and opposite stages of growth arising 
from the same perichsetium, was induced to consider it as 
perennial ; and we agree with him in thinking it biennial 
at the least *. In Britain, since its first discovery by Dr 
Hooker, at Sprowston, near Norwich, it has been found 
by Mr E. J. Maughan, at Rosslin, near Edinburgh; by 
Mr Jackson, near Aberdeen ; by Dr W ade, at Killarney, 
in Ireland ; by Mr J. Stewart, at Waddenshope-rig, near 
Peebles ; and by one of the authors of the present paper, 
on the Hill of Dungloe, in Kinross-shire f. 
Hist. The first discoverer of this singular plant, was 
^* the modest*" Buxeaum, who found it on the banks of the 
river Wolga, not far from Astracan, and published it in 
his Centuria, but without generic or specific name. He 
states in his description, that he felt a desire to name it 
after his father, but was afraid of derision ; " sed venit 
mihi in mentem vulpes, qui deridebatur ab aliis, quod uvas 
non pro se, sed pro segrota posceret matre.'"* His character 
is very brief : " Muscus capillaceus apliyllos, capitulo 
crasso bivalvV Michelt, from specimens received from 
MoNTius, and gathered in Italy, also gave afterwards a 
* Edin. Phil. Journ. vol. ii. p. 377. and Wern. Trans, vol. iii. p. 443. 
"f At this station, as well as the Irish one, only a single specimen has 
been hitherto found ; and from all the other habitats it has entirely vanished, 
except from Mr Ste'!\'art's. 
