NEW AURANGEMENT OF 
- It is necessary to state, that our views respecting the 
Mructure of the peristome are essentially the same as those 
which Mr Brown has so admirably detailed in the twelfth 
volume of the Linnean Transactions, p. 577, et seq. That 
excellent muscologist has there expressed his opinion, that 
the semi-pellucid lines, or longitudinal strise, at least de- 
note a tendency to division in the teeth where they are 
found." He also considers the prevailing number of teeth 
in the outer peristome of mosses to be thirty-two ; " though, 
by a coalescence, more or less complete, they are frequently 
reduced to sixteen, in some cases to eight, and in a few 
even to four." 
" According to this view,"" continues the same learned 
author, " a single longitudinal line in the axis of a tooth, 
indicates the confluence of two teeth; three equidistant 
lines, one bemg central, the coalescence of four ; and seven 
lines, similarly disposed, that of eight."' 
" Nearly the whole of these modifications exist in that 
natural subdivision of the order, which may be named 
Splachnece, consisting of SplacJinum, Systyl'mm, Taylor ia^ 
Splachnum squarrosum * of Hookek, and Weissia Splacli- 
noidesy 
, " The number of teeth in Splachnece is thirty-two; 
which, however^, are never entirely distinct, and at the same 
* This plant has been subsequently published, and figured, by Dr Hooker, 
as Octoblepharum serratum. However, from the calyptra of O. albidum be- 
ing dimidiate, it must now retain the name of Ortkodon, given to the genus- 
by BoRY DE St Vincent. Mr Brown has drawn up its generic character 
in Linn. Trans, vol. 12. p. 597. 
As we have had occasion to notice this species here, we may take the 
(opportunity to mention, that we do not conceive it to belong very satisfacto- 
rily to the Splachnoidcce, and therefore we shall defer what we have to say 
concerning it to a future memoir. 
