DI7BLIM NATtTBAL HI8T0BT SOCIBTT. 103 



such as bears mo out in stating that the great Lusitanian life-tide onoe 

 extended much farther north than it at present does. 



It would be easy, by means of these same laws, to demonstrate the 

 causes of the local occurrence of many of the ferns in Ireland, but 

 this paper has already extended to such a length that I must content 

 myself with the following arrangement of centres to which the species 

 appear to have belonged. 



Lusitanian : Asplenium acutum, Asplenium laneeolatuniy Adiantum 

 capillus- Veneris, Lophodium Famesecn, Lophodium {?) spinomm, HytM- 

 nophyllum Tunhridgense, Grammitts eeterach. Sub-Lusitanian : AnpUnium 

 trichotnanes, Asplenium adiantum nigrum, Amesium ruta muraria. 



Germanic : Ophiogloasum vulgatum, Botrychium lunaria, Blechnum 

 spicant, Pteris aquilina, Polypodium vulgare, Polystichum angulare, Lo' 

 pkodium (?) muUiJlorum, Athyrium filix fcemina, Asplenium marinum, 

 Scolopendrium vulgare. 



Northern: Gymnoearpium Phegopteris, Cystopteris fragilisy Polysti- 

 chum Lonchitis, Cryptogramma crispa, Polystichum {?) aculeatum, Zastrea 

 montana, Hemestheum (?) thelypteris, Gymnoearpium Dryopteris, Asple- 

 nium viride, Dryopteris affinis, Dryopteris Borreri. 



The above ^stribution will, perhaps, surprise many, CBpecially the 

 reference to the Germanic type (i. e. Germano-Indian continental tjrpe) 

 of all our most generally diffused types ; but finding these ferns equally 

 distributed in Great Britain and Ireland, I am inclined to thiilk they 

 must have spread over the two countries at the time when the Germanic 

 Fauna were introduced through England into this country : by sub-Lusi- 

 tanian I mean types which, undoubtedly coming from the same centre, 

 were introduced into this country before the restricted Lusitanian species 

 made their appearance. 



Professor Kinahan exhibited some very fine varieties of Polypodium 

 vulgare, Asplenium trichomanes, and Dryopteris affinis, sent to him by 

 H. A. Mandeville, Esq., of Anner House, Clonmel, by whom they had 

 been obtained near Carrick-on-Suir. The first-named exhibited a great 

 number of secondary axes sprung from the main axis, and was a fine 

 example of the irregularity of outline sometimes assumed by Acrogens. 

 Dr. Kinahan had never seen such fine specimens. The other two, though 

 extremely interesting, were more common, and had occurred frequently 

 to Dr. Kinahan. 



Mr. J. Bain exhibited a fine example of a curious variety of Athff' 

 rium filix fcemina, from the county of Wicklow. It was characterized 

 by the stunted growth of the pinnae, and total abortion of the stalks of 

 the pinnules, which gave it an appearance resembling somewhat that of 

 A. trichomanes. 



Dr. W. Frazer exhibited a curious pendant cup-shaped nest of Vetpa 

 f attached to a twig. It was taken at the Dargle, county of Wick- 

 low ; but unfortimately the maker was not captured, which rendered it 

 impossible to identify the species. 



