^4 HANDY BOOK OF 
pen spaces beneath, the trees'; hecause, as wrote old 
Gerard, " It thriveth best in moist barren and gravelly 
banks or rocks, creeping flat upon the ground, like unto 
liverwort, but of a yellowish-white colour, among which 
leaves start up here and there, certaine little things fashioned 
like unto a tiny cup, called a beater, or chalice, and of the 
same colour and substance of the lower leaves, which un- 
doubtedly may be taken for the flowers. The powder of 
this moss, given unto small children in any liquour, for 
certaine daies together, is a most certaine remidy against 
that perilous malady called the chin-coiigh. Albeit, the 
remedy doth require care, and is not to be adventured upon, 
save under the guidance of an experienced gudewife." 
The Toothed, hoary Thread-moss (Bryum liypnoidcs) is 
found in the same locality. Concerning this, also, the old 
herbalist has thus spoken : " There is found, upon the top 
of most barren mountains, but especially such as at whose 
base sea coles are accustomed to be digged, or stones to 
make iron of, and also where ore is gotten for tinne and 
lead, a certaine small plant ; it riseth forth of the ground 
with many bare and naked branches, dividing themselves at 
the top into sundiy knags, like the forked homes of deere, 
every part whereof is of a whitish colour." 
The Northern Hair-moss (Muses septentrionale] is there 
also ; that graceful species, first discovered on Ben Nevis, 
and nowhere more abundant than on the highest of the 
Cairngorm range of Grampian mountains, which thrives 
best on rugged sides of windy rocks, where storms contend 
for mastery. Yet, who, in looking on this moss, could 
imagine that its delicate texture was adapted to bear the 
merciless buffetings of winds and rains, unsheltered from 
their fury, and covered half the year with a crushing weight 
of snow. Yet so it is ; and life is still sustained in this 
small weed a memorial plant, bidding him who looks 
towards its sterile growing-place, take courage, wherever 
Ms lot is cast. 
