FERNS. 



something like brown felt, being; small semi-transparent 

 scales, white in their youth, but presently becoming 

 brown. These scales seem to protect the seed-vessels, 

 and serve them instead of covers. 



The Jersey-Fern (Gymnogramme lept ophylla, Plate I., 

 fig. 6), we none of us have found. We considered our- 

 selves lucky enough in getting a sight of it. It has little 

 oval pinnae, cut and toothed. The fruitful fronds are 

 more erect than the others, and have narrower pinna?. 



The Parsley-Fern (Allosorus crispus, Plate L, fig. 8), 

 claims alliance with the Polypodies. Its spore-masses 

 are uncovered, except for 

 the margins of the pinnae, 

 which try to overlap the line 

 of clusters. "We found a 

 small plant of this in a 

 beautiful table-land called 

 Stag-Fell — supposed to have 

 been the last Yorkshire 

 retreat of the wild deer. It 

 lies between Swaledale and 



Wensleydale, and the Eoad that traverses it is called the 

 Butter-tub Pass. It was a mere accident that the 

 Parsley-Fern should be found there, for it generally avoids 

 the limestone, and it was a very poor specimen. The 

 lake country boasts it in great abundance. There it 

 grows in free clusters among the sward, the fronds 

 attaining; a height of eight or ten inches. The fruitful 

 fronds grow erect, the barren ones clustering; beneath 

 them, very much like the plant from which it takes its 

 name. 



ALLOSORUS. 



