Many other plants of this genus contain the same tophaceous matter as the _orchel_; and upon trial have been found to strike a good colour. Micheli, after he has related the preparation of the _orchel_, suggests the same thing; and M. Hellot, in the treatise before mentioned, tells us, there are many other mosses, which will give as good a colour as the _orchel_. In fact, he adds, that M. Bernard de Jussieu brought him some from the forest of Fontainbleau, which, upon experiments with urine and lime, took a purple colour. In the sequel of this memoir we shall point out some of these kinds. M. Hellot has given us a process, which he made use of for discovering whether any of these lichens would yield a red or purple colour. It is as follows: “Put about two drachms of any of these lichens into a little glass jar: moisten it well with equal parts of strong lime-water, and volatile spirit of _sal ammoniac_; tie a wet bladder close over the top of the vessel, and let it stand three or four days. At the end of this time, if the lichen is likely to answer, that small quantity of liquor, which you will find in the glass, will be of a deep crimson red; and the plant will retain the same colour when the liquor is all dried up. If neither the liquor nor the plant have taken any colour, it is needless to make any further trials with it.” This process is simple and easy, and well worth observation by all who are disposed to prosecute experiments of this nature: and indeed it is worth the trial, whether several lichens, which we have plentifully enough in England, would not answer in this respect. 3. Lichenes pyxidati. _Such as consist of a firm tough flexible matter, formed into simple tubular stalks, whose tops are expanded into the form of little cups._ This division contains the cup-mosses of authors; the second order of _coralloides_ of Dillenius; great part of the first order of lichens in Haller; the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th order in Micheli; and the _lichenes schyphiferi_ of Linnæus. Dr. Hill has constituted a genus intirely of these cup-mosses, under the name of _pyxidium_. They are common with us on heaths, and other dry and barren places. Some of them are proliferous, even to the third degree, and form a very beautiful appearance. Some have tubercles on the edges of the cups, of a beautiful scarlet colour. The cup-moss[94] was a long time in great and established use for coughs, and especially for the whooping cough in children; for which it was long accounted a specific. To this end it was given in various forms. Gerard and Parkinson recommend the powder to be taken for several days together. Dr. Willis was particularly one of its patrons. He has given us[95] several forms for its exhibition, as that of the powder, a decoction, and a syrup from it.