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I have seen it here and there in some quantity, I had never 

 met with it before in such profusion. 



Wherever there is an old wall, a stone cottage, an out- 

 building, or even a pigstye, there this Fern is so much in 

 evidence as to become a veritable *' weed," and as such 

 seems to be quite disregarded by the natives. I have no 

 doubt the apparent contempt thus exhibited is on a par 

 with the answer I once got from a country lad who, when 

 asked whether he took any interest in wild flowers, said, 

 " No, sir. I sees too many on 'em ! " 



Anyhow, Shepton Mallet is full of this little cryptogam ; 

 and from this town, say towards Bristol, the roadside 

 walls are literally covered with it ! Aspect seems to make 

 little or no difference to it, except that on the southern 

 sides, and consequently in the blazing sun, it presents a 

 more or less shrivelled appearance. How it is possible for 

 this Fern to exist under such conditions must have puzzled 

 many minds ! 



But we know from experience that when the conditions 

 become moist the plant is capable of resuscitation. That 

 the plant can stand long periods of drought or desiccation 

 is well known, but whether the foUowicg story can be 

 vouched for is another matter. In an old book on Ferns 

 it is stated that ** a lady in Ireland found among her dried 

 specimens one Ceterach, which had been above two years 

 in a portfolio in a very dry, warm room, and after planting 

 it in a pot and covering it close, she had the satisfaction 

 to see it come to life again ! " If this be true, then, for 

 " death " suspended animation must be substituted. 



However, this great tenacity of life seems fully explained 

 in Kerner's " Natural History of Plants," where he says 

 " this fern, contrary to the habits of most of this shade- 

 loving group, grows on blocks and walls which are exposed 

 to the burning sun. In this fern the upper surface of the 

 leaf (frond) is smooth, but the under, on the other hand, 

 is thickly covered with dry hair-scales. In wet weather 



