( 195 ) 
befet with minute crifp leaves, and the whole 
plant with age turns brown ; neither of which 
ever happens to the rein-deer lichen, it's co- 
lour always being white. What is commonly 
called mofs on trees, is alfo a lichen. This 
elegant tribe of plants well repays the trouble 
of inveftigation ; and, with the moffes, ferns, 
and fungufes, furnifhes the botanift with a 
complete winter garden. 
The fourth and laft order of the clafs Cryp- 
togamia contains the fungi, a tribe of vege- 
tables, which, although they cannot vie with 
the filices, mufci, or lichens, in beauty or 
elegance, are not deftitute of either, and, from 
the curious mechanifm of their ftru&ure, 
cannot fail to intereft an inquiring botanift. 
Mr. Curtis's, Mr. Bolton's, and Monf. BuiU 
lard's plates will be great affirmants in the 
ftudy of thefe vegetables ; alfo Mr. Sowerby's 
collection of fungi will be found highly fer- 
viceable. The delicate botanift turns away 
with difguft from the fmell and difagreeable 
touch of fome of the fungi ge'nera ; but the 
generality of them may be dhTected by per- 
fons of the greateft nicety without giving 
offence. Within the laft twenty years our 
knowledge has been greatly improved in regard 
O 2, tO 
