from the observations of the excellent authors of the Mtis-
cologia Britannica, it appears extremely probable that we are
indebted to Mr H o b so n of Manchester for the original discovery
in Great Britain of Hypnum salebrosum, though the
moss communicated to them by that naturalist had lost the
operculum. That it is now a native of at least Scotland, is
placed beyond a doubt, from the fine specimens which that successful
cryptogamist Mr D r u m m o n d has had the good fortune
to discover in the neighbourhood of Forfar, and which
he has published itt the second volume of his valuable « Musci
Scotici.”
To Hypnum lutesceUs, nitens, and albicans, our present
species is most nearly allied; hut from the first, it is separated
by its smooth fruitstalk, and slightly serrulate acumination of
the leaves:—from the second, it is removed by the shorter
nerve, much shorter capsule, and by the absence of the red to-
mentosity on the stems, and cuspidate form of the extremity of
the branches-from the third, it differs in its darker colour,
serrulated apeX of the leaves, less erect and more compound
mode of growth, and acutely conical operculum. The general
habit of H . lutescens comes nearest to that of H . salebrosum.
H nitens is erect, more robust, the branches shorter, the fruitstalk
much longer, and the whole of a more golden, yellow
shining colour. H . albicans is generally nearly quite erect, with
few and mostly simple branches, of a pale whitish-green colour.
Fig. 1. H. salebrosum, nat. size. Fig. 2. Portion o f a branch. Fig. 3. Peri-
chaetinm, fruitstalk and capsule. Fig. 5. Portion o f the outer peristome.
Fig. 6. Portion o f the inner ditto. Fig. 7- Sporules— A ll magnified except
Fig. 1.
,L