14 NOTES ON FERNS FOUND NEAB WOOL-BIIIDGE. 



Asplen'mm trichomanes, MaiJen-liair Spleenwort, is in great abundance at 

 Bindon Abbey ; and is rarely to be found on a bank by tbe roadside, which 

 runs through a wood near Lulworth Castle. 



Amesium rata mtiraria, Wall-rue. This unobtrusive, but pretty little fern, 

 seems to be generally distributed through the country; the rocks at Portland, 

 and churches and old walls generally ; seldom exceeding two inches and a 

 half in length. 



PhyUitis scolopendrium, Hart's Tongue Fern, of course, makes a prominent 

 feature in eveiy landscape ; but so far as my slight experience goes, this dis- 

 trict appears remarkably rich in the forms '* lobatum," " multifidum," and 

 •' laceratum," of Moore ; more rarely, " crispum." And from Blandford, I 

 have seen some nice, but small specimens of " ramosum," of the same author. 

 The villagers call it " Fire leave plant," and consider it excellent to apply to 

 burns and wounds arising from them. 



Notolepeum ceterach, Scaly Spleenwort. On a wall sui-rounding the lawn 

 of Wool-Bridge house, are vast quantities of " Amesium ruta muraria," and 

 amongst it is one solitary plant of the Ceterach ; during this dry summer, it 

 was quite dried up, but is now again green and vigorous. It is said to be 

 abundant on Bere Regis Church. 



Botrychium lunaria, Moonwort, is occasionally found on the heaths in the 

 neighbourhood, as Poole and Wareham, &c. 



Ophioglossum vulgatum, Adder's tongue, is to be found in considerable 

 abundance at Bindon Abbey, and Stoke Meadows. 



Osmunda regalis, Flowering Fern, is also in considerable abundance in the 

 damp boggy meadows leading from Wool to Stoke, Wool-Bridge farm, and 

 Highwood, near a pond. This year, a second series of fruitful fronds were 

 thrown up, in August. Is not this unusual ? 



NOTES ON THE BOTANY OF NORTH LANCASHIRE. 



One lovely afternoon, towards the close of the last month, I paid a visit 

 to the romantic locality of Nicky Nook ; a hill well known, and of 

 considerable eminence, situated about thi-ee miles N.N.E. from Garstang. 

 The object of my visit was, to investigate the wild plants in the neighbour- 

 hood, coupled with a strong desire to revisit the cherished scenes of 

 boyhood. 



On the southern side of the hill runs a deep narrow valley, through 

 which a small stream wends its tortuous and noisy course ; forming, on its 

 way, numerous pools and swamps ; situations highly favourable for the 

 growth of those rare plants so interesting to the botanist. The scenery of 



