( *94 ' ) 
the four orders, of which it confiils, requires 
it more than that which is now under con-* 
fideration ; neither can there be founds 
amongft the genera contained in it, a com- 
mon character ftrong enough to affemble fuch 
a variety of families, which apparently differ in 
many ftriking circumftances : they all feem 
to polTefs peculiarities, which are well worthy 
of inveftigation ; the beauty of the lichens at- 
tracts our notice in winter on every tree, and 
bank, and wall, as they form a confpicuous 
part of that elegant arrangement, which is 
always found in an affemblage of the Crypto- 
gamia families. That beautiful little plant, 
which is feen on heaths, and commonly 
called white mofs, is the rein-deer lichen ; a 
knowledge of it's ufe to the ftarved inhabit- 
ants of the northern climates gives us an in- 
lereft in it, even beyond what necelTarily arifes 
from it's elegance of ftrufture. There are many 
varieties of this pl ant, from which the true fpe- 
cies is diftinguifhable by it's very different ap- 
pearance, although found in the fame places. 
The lichen fylvaticus, wood lichen, which is 
only a variety of the rangiferinus, has uni- 
formly it's branches of a reddifh brown co- 
lour, and it's fhilks fmaller, and fometimes 
befet 
