96 ABOUT A FERN. [CHAP. 
fronds, and delicate little rosettes—clusters of seed- 
lings—flourish. Here and there a tiny streak of 
liquid silver winds and wriggles down the sides of 
the rocks, tumbling and splashing from point to point 
in a million glistening tiny orbs that fall among the 
Fic. 93. 
moss and liverworts, and keep the fern-roots ever 
steeped in percolating moisture. These are the spots 
in which they absolutely revel, giving off larger and 
brighter, more softly tinted and more gracefully arch- 
ing fronds than elsewhere. So congenial do they 
find their surroundings that scarce an inch space can 
