The Student's Handbook of British Mosses, H.N. Dixon: Hardback: Bryology: 1954

far as possible accessible to the considerable, and I hope increasing, number of students of these plants, many of

whom find the larger and more expensive works on the subject beyond their means. 

Most bryologists have doubtless been asked to recommend suitable book to the student, and have probably the most experienced considerable difficulty in answering the question. Wilson's Bryologia Britannica - the Prince of bryological books - is out of reach of many on account of its price, and after the lapse of forty years, far from covering the whole field of British mosses as they are known to us. Berkeley's Handbook is similarly out of date (about 465 species are there described out of some 600 as at present recognised);  besides which some parts of that work, the plates especially, leave much to be desired. 

Hobkirk's Synopsis, though containing much valuable information already well versed in bryology, is somewhat too compressed to be of great service to the less practised collector, nor has it the advantage of illustrations. Braithwaite's splendid and elaborate work, still in the course JO publication, which has done so much to stimulate the study of these plants in our country and which will doubtless remain our standard work for many years to come,  is of necessity published at a price which puts it out of the reach of many. There is, therefore, unquestionably a demand for d modern book which may serve to take the place of the older works in the hands of the student, and which, while of modest pretensions in comparıson with such a work as the British Moss Flora, may be sufficiently detailed to of the beginner as well as of the more advanced bryologist. How far the present work fulfils these requirements must be left to others to decide.

(Bindery shelves B1)