18G4.] LAWSON ON CANADIAN FERNS. 271 



oiis under their recurved margins. Pt. aquilina, Linn., A. Gray, 

 Moore, &c. — Abundant on Dr. Yates's farm in Pittsburg, and else- 

 where about Kingston; Waterdown Road, Hamilton, common. 

 Judge Logie; Chippawa and Maiden, C. W., P. W. Maclagan, 

 M.D.; Ptamsay, Ilev. J. K. M'Morine, 31. A. ; Prescott, common, B. 

 Billings, jun., Belleville, very common on barren ridges, J. Macoun ; 

 Grand Island, Lake Superior, R. Bell, jun. ; Red Lake River, also 

 between Wild Rice and Red Lake Rivers, and Otter T;.il Lake and 

 River, between Snake Hill River and Pembina, &c., J. C. Schultz, 

 M.D. ; Black Lead Falls, and Portage to Bark Lake, W. S. M. 

 D'Urban; Gatineau Mills, very common, D. M'Gillivray, M D. ; 

 Lakefield, North Douro, 31rs. Traill ; New Brunswick, Hook. Fl. 

 Bor. Amer. ; L'Orignal, J. Bell, B.A.; London, W. Saunders. 



a. vera. — Pinnules pinnatifid (the normal or typical form of 

 Moore), Dr Yates's farm, Kingston. 



/?. integerriina. — Pinnules entire (a sub-variety), common in 

 Canada and westward. There are various other sub-varieties; 

 differing in size, pubescence, &c. 



y. dedpiens, — Frond bipinnate, thin and membranous, lanuginosa, 

 pinnules pinnatifidly toothed, or in small forms, entire, barren; 

 L'Anse a Cabielle, Gaspe, John, Bell, B.A. This is a very 

 remarkable fern, resembling a Lastrea, and in the absence of fruc- 

 titication, it is doubtfully referred to Pterls aquilina, yet the vena- 

 tion seems to indicate that it belongs to that species, which is 

 remarkable for its puzzling forms. Being at a loss what to make of 

 this fern, I sent it to Mr. D. C. Eaton, M.A., who is justly looked 

 up to by American botanists as our best authority on American 

 ferns, and he likewise failed to recognise it. I hope some visitor 

 to Gaspd will endeavor to obtain it in a fertile state, and thus 

 relieve the doubt.* 



[Var. 8. caudata appears occasionally in lists. I have as yet no 

 satisfactory evidence of its occurrence in Canada proper. The 

 nearest approach to it is a specimen from theHudson Bay territories 

 pvobably from the Red River District (Governor M'Tavish). In 

 the South it is a very distinct form, of which there are beautiful 

 specimens in \Yright's Cuban Plants (No. 872), and is very close 

 to the Pteris esculenta of Australia.] 



* Since the above was written, I have had an opportunity of studying 

 the forms and development of Pteris aquilina and am quite satisfied that 

 the doubtful plant is a state of that species, not old enough to be fertile. 



