66 



the Downs along the valley of the Avon being sufficient 

 to repay the journey. Our quest, however, was the 

 Zoological Gardens, best known to British fern lovers as 

 the repository of the extensive collection of British ferns 

 formed by the late Colonel Jones, and many of the; 

 varieties raised by Dr. Fox. The gardens have been for 

 many years under the care of Mr. H, Harris, by whom, 

 we were received with the greatest courtesy. Twenty-four 

 years ago Mr. Druery had met Mr. Harris when staying at 

 Colonel Jones' house on the occasion of delivering a lecture^ 

 on "Ferns " to the British Naturalists' Society at Clifton, and 

 it was very gratifying to have been the means of bringing 

 together again two such enthusiastic veterans after the 

 lapse of so many years. The interesting Zoological 

 collection was duly inspected, but our minds inclined to- 

 captives of a more peaceful order, and neither tigers' 

 stripes nor leopards' spots could keep us Long from matters 

 horticultural. 



The gardens contain, amongst many other interesting 

 subjects, a fine collection of hollies, and many specimens 

 of trained trees and shrubs, interspersed with fine clumps- 

 of rhododendrons, v/hilst the terrace walk fronting the 

 New Lion House was gaily decked with beds of Begonias 

 in fall splendour skirted by specimen palms, pictures of 

 health, grown in large tubs. The lake, with its grass fore- 

 ground, picturesque island and back-ground of shrubs, the 

 home of numerous domesticated water-fowl, is a very 

 attractive feature. Mr. Harris's house adjoins the entrance 

 from the Downs, and in a sheltered nook, and right under 

 the master's eye was a bed of grand specimens of many 

 of the Plumose section of Polystichum angiilave, raised by 

 the late Colonel Jones and Dr. Fox. An A.f.f. Clavissima 

 raised by apospory by the Editor from the late Colonel 

 Jones' original plant found by Moule, a curious Scolo- 

 pendyiiim vulgare, cvisptun covnuium, and many other choice 

 and rare things were noted here. 



On leaving this spot we were conducted to the first of 



