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 to most of their former beauty, their lovely leaves again expand, the minute cells of which they are built are again filled with fluids, and with the aid of the microscope all their details may be made out as readily as though they had been gathered but an hour ago, so that for real and minute study this may truly be called a fireside one.

For the sake of those who would wish to commence the study, but lack the knowledge how to begin, when and where to seek their plants, and how to distinguish them when found, these hints have been written, and I shall endeavour, as clearly as I can, to supply a few elementary lessons in moss collecting, &c.

Before beginning to collect certain aids are required: these are few and simple. First, a bag or satchel of some kind for stowing away specimens as they are gathered. One of the canvas bags with a strap to sling over the shoulder, such as are now offered from a shilling upwards, will be serviceable and sufficient. Some pieces of good strong newspaper six to nine inches square will be required to wrap up each specimen separately as gathered. These papers should be numbered previous to starting out, using ink rather than pencil, for the mosses will often he wet and pencil marks are then easily obliterated. In order to keep the tufts of moss clean and distinct too many should not be put into one paper. When the paper is filled and folded the number of the package should be entered in the collector's note book, with remarks as to habitat, locality, and date. Such, for instance, as this:— No.1. Marly bank, Tythall Lane, near Solihull. Formation, Keuper Marl. Feb.&nbsp 9th, 1878." and such other particulars as it may be well to remember.

And here I may observe that at first it would be advisable to collect these mosses only which have their fruit fully matured, and then, when these have been carefully examined and their distinguishing characters mastered, barren specimens may be collected; for many of our rarest British mosses are more frequently found barren then fruiting, and they must not, of course, be neglected. As soon as home is reached each of the packages should be opened, and if time serves roughly examined. If not, they should be placed in the opened papers on the floor of a room where they will be undisturbed, and allowed to get thoroughly dry. It will be advisable at the same time to place a slip of paper with each package containing a copy of the notes from note book, When the specimens are dry they may be again wrapped up and put by for an indefinite time for future examination. If the mosses are allowed to dry in the unopened papers just as they are gathered they will be nearly certain to become mildewed, and will be very unsightly and useless, and thus the trouble of collecting will have been taken in vain,

All these details may seem to make the preliminary work very tedious to the beginner, but he will soon get over any irksomeness he may at first feel, and he will he rewarded by his specimens being saved in good condition.

A pocket lens will be required for the examination of the plants in the field, one having a power of about ten diameters, i.e., about one inch focal length, will be found serviceable, and if with two powers, i.e., one