171 



plant is more like the nature print by Colonel Jones of 

 a plant grown by Mr. Clowes. 



The deep leafy frond and fine serrulate margin is 

 characteristic of the one form and a more laxly built 

 frond with very acute lobes, of the other. Of course 

 the differences may not be permanent, but at all events 

 they seem to be distinct " states " of the variety. Both 

 are alike when out of best character — the form is reduced 

 to the mere " serratum," which is most frequently seen. 



F. W. Stansfield. 



THE AUGUST MEETING. 



It will be remembered that at the Annual meeting of 

 the members of our Society at Moffat, on August Bank 

 holiday of last year, it was resolved that this year's 

 meeting should be held at Barnstaple, as a favourable 

 centre fo'r Fern hunting in Devonshire and a change 

 from the meetings held hitherto in the Lake District, 

 or, as on the last occasion, in the South of Scotland. 

 By all those who are intimately acquainted with Devon 

 and its adjacent counties, Dorset and Somerset, it is 

 recognized that not only are more species to be found 

 there than in the northern districts, but that they are 

 far more abundant, a fact which is proved by the 

 discovery of far more fine varieties by such hunters as 

 Moly, Wells, Wollaston and others, including Benbow, 

 to whom we refer elsewhere, than can be recorded from 

 other parts. 



As a preliminary to the contemplated meeting, Mr. 

 W. B. Cranfield and the Editor devoted the Easter 

 holidays to a visit to Barnstaple, with the double view of 

 making arrangements for the members' accommodation 

 and of determining as far as possible the best hunting 

 localities within easy reach of Barnstaple. With regard 

 to the first item, they put up at the " Golden Lion " 

 Hotel, where the main meeting place will be located, 



