NOVEMBER. 247 



is also a woodcut, with magnified views and dissections, given under 

 each genus. The text consists of an introductory portion, treating 

 on the structure, the chissification, and the geographical distribution 

 of the Ferns and Fern allies ; these being de:jcribed individually, with 

 references to the localities where they are found, and other technical 

 information, form the bulk of the book. There is also a short appen- 

 dix, in which the culture of Ferns is briefly treated. 



The introductory part is written in a very lucid and interesting 

 style, as will be seen from one or two extracts which we shall make ; 

 indeed, we look on this as being now the best part of the book. The 

 affinities of the Ferns, for example, are thus stated : 



" The Ferns and their allies form the first order of the Linnscan 

 class Cryptogamia, and the structure of them shews so exactly an 

 intermediate character between the Vasculares and Cellulares, that 

 all systems of classification have assigned them this station among 

 vegetables. They are without flowers, have but imperfectly-formed 

 vessels, and no deposition of real woody fibre ; they therefore cannot 

 with propriety be arranged with Pha^nogamous plants ; while their 

 serai-vascular texture and fully-developed leaves shew their organi- 

 sation to be greatly above that of any other order of Cryptogamia. 



Although the true Ferns have a direct analogy with the Palmae 

 and Cycadete, the connexion between them and other orders is more 

 apparent in the Pteroides or Fern allies, particularly the Equiseta 

 and Lycopodia. The Equiseta are nearly connected with several 

 orders of flowering plants. In their hollow, jointed, silicious stems, 

 they resemble the Grasses ; in other respects, the Coniferae and 

 Amentacese, approaching the one by means of the genus Casuarina, 

 and the other by that of Ephedra ; nor are they far removed in 

 structure from the Charas ; thus connecting also the Ferns and the 

 Algae. The other of the Fern allies, the Lycopodia, w'ere considered 

 by the earlier botanists as Mosses, so slightly do they diff'er from that 

 tribe, not only in habit, but in many important characteristics. 



Thus the tribes under consideration, w^iich are divided accord- 

 ing to the modern system into Filicales, Lycopodales, and Equisetales 

 — the first the true Ferns, the others the Pteroides or Fern allies, — 

 altogether form valuable, because well- connecting links in the great 

 chain of nature." 



Passing over the details of structure, which we have not space to 

 examine, we come to a very interesting paragraph on the number and 

 distribution of the dorsiferous Ferns, for which it appears the author 

 is indebted to Mr. H. C. Watson, a gentleman well known by his 

 writings on botanical geography : 



" Dorsiferous Ferns are found in every part of Britain, except on 

 the summits of the loftier mountains, and in small spaces of the 

 lower grounds, whence they are banished by local peculiarities of the 

 soil or surface. But overlooking these merely local exceptions, of 

 trifling extent, Polypodiace?e may be stated to range over the whole 

 of Britain, from south to north, from east to west, and from the 

 shores of the sea almost to the summits of the highest hills ; in 



