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are aids to memory, lessons in elocution, and guides to 

 orthoepy. But as I may be peculiar in this respect, I will 

 now cast away the shadow for the substance, and the 

 substance in the Polystichwn world is representative of an 

 enormous number of concrete examples. Here again, 

 before we can deal with varieties, we must refer them to 

 their respective species. And what are varieties but 

 variations, or departures from the normal ? 



As I know least about P. Lonchitis, it will be as well 

 to dispose of that first. That I have not succeeded with 

 this Fern is not, perhaps, remarkable, when one considers 

 its alpine proclivities. These are very difficult to imitate 

 at lower levels, and in a vitiated atmosphere practically 

 impossible. 



It is, however, a neat little Fern, with speav-like rigid 

 fronds of pinnate character, and is usually called the Holly 

 Fern. It was not known as a British Fern when Ray 

 published his " Catalogue " in 1670 ; although in the second 

 edition of his ''Synopsis" he adopts the name of Lonchitis 

 Aspeva Majov^ or "larger rough Spleenvvort, with indented 

 leaves." He says, " It issues from clefts in the rocks on 

 the tops of the mountains of Wales, as at Clogwyn-y- 

 Garnedh-y-Grib-Goch-Trygvylchan ! " A Welsh member, 

 perhaps, can supply the key, and possibly also the habitat. 

 Anyhow, the species itself is interesting, while the two 

 varieties, cvistattim and imbricatiun, are little gems, and are 

 self-descriptive. 



We now come to another species — P. aculeatum, the Hard 

 Prickly Shield Fern. This species may not inappropriately 

 be regarded as a magnified form of P. Lonchitis, for a frond 

 of the latter may well be taken to represent a pinna of the 

 former. However, it is a Fern of splendid possibilities, 

 especially in regard to one of its varieties. It is also a Fern 

 of robust constitution, and differs from P. angnlare in 

 several particulars, which, however, are more technical 

 than practical, for it is easier to distinguish between the 

 growing plants than to define their characteristics. Hence 



