THE GENERA OF MOSSES. 
457 
correctly enough represented by Hedwig in his figure of 
S. ampullaceum (St. Crypt, v. 2. f. 14.) 
The calyptra in all our British species is whitish : in 
*y. Wormskioldu of a brownish hue. As far as we have 
seen, it is truly mitriform in its young state, and becomes 
dimidiate only by the enlargement of the capsule, when it 
is almost immediately deciduous. Our excellent corre- 
spondent, Professor Hornschuch, is of the same opinion, 
and even observes, " mehrere Splachna haben eine calyptra 
campanulata multifissa die en die C. dimidiata ubergeht^." 
Hab. The Splachna are widely distributed throughout 
the alpine and the northern parts of Europe and North 
America. Species have been found also in the Straits of 
Magellan and in New Holland. Their places of growth 
are most remarkable, the greater number being found upon 
the dung of various animals. We ourselves have gathered 
S. mnioides attached to the long exposed bones of an ox. 
A friend of ours, who received the skull of a musk-ox, 
brought by Captain Parry from Melville Island, disco- 
vered a luxuriant specimen of the same species (if we mis- 
take not), lodged in the bones of the nose. Our esteemed 
friend Dr Richardson mentions that he always found it 
in arctic America, enveloping with its roots the bones of 
some small animal t. But though most prefer some animal 
substance or other, there are exceptions ; a few growing on 
the ground or in wet springy places, and one alone (*S'. octo- 
blepharum) on the rotten trunks of trees. 
Hist. The original Splachiium^ or 2;^Atf«y;:^voi', has been 
usually rendered in Latin by viscus^ and it is no easy mat- 
• Hornschuch in Litt. 
■J" Richardson in Franklin's Journal, Append, p. 755. 
