26 FERNS. 



habit of the frond, are also abiding marks of distinction. 

 A few plants were found nestling in the crevices of 

 dripping rocks : but the best locality for procuring it in 

 that neighbourhood is the Buttertubs, great quantities 

 of it oTowino; about these curious chasms. 



In returning, we took the other side of the valley, 

 passing over broken ground plentifully adorned by the 

 fragrant Butterfly Orchises, and coming out upon a road 

 opposite to the mine that we had passed. Near Gunner- 

 side we crossed the river again by means of a curious 

 sloping bridge, unique in its style of architecture ; and 

 here we found a Fern resembling the Forked Spleenwort, 

 but with the segments of an oval form, and toothed at 

 the summit. Its dark green hue, short stature, and wiry 

 stems are very like its brother above named. Gathering 

 some of this, we continued our ride, ascending the hill 

 and reaching the wide moor-pastures, now gay with 

 waving Cotton Grass and the orange spikes of the Bog 

 Asphodel. 



We came to a quarry, or rather a series of quarries, on 

 the steep hillside, and found that the stone was a con- 

 glomerate of the shells of the giant lima, called in the 

 familiar language of the country, cockle. The stone was 

 in a very decomposed state, and we found no difficulty 

 in disinterring some of the heavy shells, the markings 

 on which remained as perfect as when they were 

 living. Smaller shells, closely allied, were there, and 

 stems of animal lilies in abundance. The Cypress-like 

 Ferns were not waving over these, as they waved over 

 the corals in the wood, but the little Spleenwort, called 

 Wall Hue, was resolved that their tomb should not be 



