40 



characters of both parents are shown in an enormously 

 enhanced degree, and it is certainly one of the most 

 striking and beautiful forms known of the hartstongue 

 fern. F. W. S. 



HOW FERN SPORTS ARE FOUND. 



To the assiduous hunter for Fern sports it is interesting 

 to recall the circumstances uader which the precious 

 *' finds " have turned up, and several records in this line 

 have already appeared in the Gazette. Recalling 

 memory to one's aid, however, we can cite several other 

 cases than those mentioned, which may serve as an 

 encouragement to such as are anxious to shine in this 

 particular direction and so possibly add something new to 

 their collections and those of their friends. We have 

 already stated that whenever ferns are found there is a 

 chance of a ** sport" being amongst them. The first 

 essential to success, however, is that every plant, as far as 

 possible, be well examined, since the cases are rare in 

 which a merely superficial or casual glance reveals a 

 prize. One such, however, recurs to us. At Killarney, 

 passing through the Gap of Dunloe with some friends, a 

 very steep slope led to a rapid descent to the high road 

 below, but during the run down at a break-neck pace our 

 side eye lighted on a well-marked confluent form of 

 Blechum spicant B. s. conflucns, which certainly must 

 be reckoned as an absolute "fluke" as an acquisition. 



At Sidmouth, again, our attention was attracted by a 

 huge plant of Scol. vulgare lohatum (the common fingered 

 form) in the roadside hedge, and stooping to examine this 

 something tickled our nose and distracted our attention 

 towards an apparent bunch of moss, which proved on closer 

 examination to be the tip of a very fme frond of S. V. 

 covymbifevwn, an independent plant altogether from the 

 lobatum which all but concealed it — a very good find, 

 indeed. 



