l82 



them by every wind of heaven. This is the solution of 

 this mystery. 



At the moment of writing (May, ign) there are in my 

 Fernery several examples of this ; these plants of j^mida 

 were brought by me five years ago from near Lough Eagle 

 Mountains, two miles west from Dingle, the most westerly 

 mountain in Europe, and now young dilatatas occupy their 

 places. 



These squatters in the old dead stools of A!]miila in a 

 couple of years will be at least as large as each ^miila 

 originally was, and if I had not seen the interloping 

 dilatatas, when the first frondlets issued from the prothallus 

 I might have been puzzled to account for the presence of 

 dilatata ; yes, and some filix. mas. where I had planted 

 nothing but ^mula. There is nothing to establish the 

 transmutation Mr. Lowe thought he had discovered. 



The points in which JEmuhi differs from dilatata are 

 these : — 



^Emula. 



Scales of stipe fewer, nar- 

 rower, mostly torn at 

 margin, and concolorous. 



Fronds more decidedly ever- 

 green, annual decay be- 

 gins at apex and proceeds 

 downwards, the stipe 

 continuing firm to the 

 last. 



Surface of frond both of 

 pinnae and pinnules con- 

 cave, having a crispy 

 appearance. 



Indusium bordered with 



sessile glands. 



DlL.\tATA. 



Scales of stipe more numer- 

 ous, wider, entire at mar- 

 gin, strongly two-coloured, 

 the centre dark and mar- 

 gins paler. 



Fronds not lasting so long, 

 decaying from the base 

 upwards, the stipe often 

 withering while the frond 

 still retains its greenness. 



Surface of frond more or 

 less convex. 



Indusium fringed with 

 stalked glands. 



