41 



on a brick wall, has proved to be unique, since it has turned 

 out to be one of the curious ferns known as dimorphic, i.e. pro- 

 ducing two distinct kinds of fronds both consistently abnor- 

 mal. In one set the fronds are papery and simple, with a 

 small finally divided tassel at the top, while in the other set 

 the fronds branch, the divisions bearing large much-divided 

 tassels of a somewhat bunchy character. In addition to 

 this, these latter fronds regularly produce proliferous bulbils, 

 singly or in pairs, at the point where the stalk enters the 

 leafy portion, and also in the angle at the point where the 

 branches diverge. 



Bulbils are by no means uncommon on abnormal Havts- 

 tongues, occurring sometimes on the faces of the fronds, as in 

 O'Kelly's cvistatum vivipavwn, and sometimes when fronds 

 have more or less aborted, bulbils then being engendered on 

 the stump left. No case, however, is recorded of stem 

 bulbils of the class described occurring regularly on un- 

 injured fronds, precisely as they occur on the proliferous 

 Shield ferns. This fern was frozen so tight into the chink 

 it occupied that only a piece could be cut out, now a pretty 

 plant, and in itself was a good reward for a fern hunt of an 

 hour or two on a bright frosty day at Christmas. 



C. T. D. 



THE HYBRIDIZATION OF FERNS. 



It may interest our readers to know that more than one 

 well certified case of hybridization, by means of con- 

 jointly sown spores of different species has been recorded, 

 and that the plants so produced are still in existence. Mr. 

 E.J. Lowe first succeeded by sowing a cruciate variety of 

 Polystichum angulave with a somewhat dense form of P. acu- 

 leatmn, the result being a cruciate acnleaUim. Mr. Schneider, 

 in Messrs. Veitch's nursery at Chelsea, also obtained the 

 remarkable hybrid named Polypodium SchneidevH, by sowing 

 our native species and variety, P. vulgare elegantissimum with 

 P. glaucum. The double parentage in this case is peculiarly 

 evidenced by the fact that although the fern grows as large 



