Mr. J. Y. Johnson on a new Species of Fern from Madeira. 287 
que alba; postice punctis albo pupillatis inter venas post alarum 
medium dispositis. 
Alar. exp. unc. 22. 
Hab. . 
This species is most closely allied to Lastommata Merope, 
Boisduval (Australia). Our specimen is unfortunately in very 
bad condition. 
We have a female specimen of an insect somewhat more 
closely allied to this species: it differs from the usual form of 
LL. Merope in having the apical half of the front wings black, 
the anal spot being small and quite distinct from the basal 
ferruginous portion of the wing; and the yellow spot below the 
front-wing ocellus is also replaced by a white spot. 
XXXII.—Some Account of a new Species of Fern (Polystichum 
Maderense) recently discovered in the Island of Madeira. By 
JAMEs YATE JoHNnson, Cor. M.Z.S. 
I am indebted to Mr. Joad, a zealous collector and student of 
Ferns, who has lately spent a few months in this island, for 
being permitted to examine and describe a Fern, of which he 
found a single specimen in the Ribeiro de Janella. The two or 
three fronds submitted to me show that the Fern is exactly 
intermediate between Polystichum falcinellum, Presl, and P. 
angulare, Presl, both of them natives of this island, tlfe former 
being, as far as is known, peculiar to Madeira. Widely as these 
two forms appeared to be separated, they are certainly brought 
into close contact by the Fern which I now shortly describe. 
The facies of the frond at once suggests an alliance with P. 
angulare. It is lanceolate, lax, and subbipmnate ; that is, the 
pinnee are divided nearly to the midrib, and the lobes are nar- 
rowed, but not stalked, below. ach lobe has at its tip a short 
but conspicuous aculeus. The first lobe on the upper side of 
each pinna is elongate; and here we have an approach to P. 
falcinellum, a resemblance which is further displayed in the 
form of the pine at the upper end of the frond, and in the 
structure of the scales on the rachis, which are long and some- 
what hair-like. The arrangement of the sori are more like what 
is seen in P. falcinellum than in P. angulare. The indusia are 
those of the genus. 
The fronds of the specimen are upwards of 24 inches in length. 
Further researches may show that this is only a variety of 
P. falcinellum; but for the present it seems best to register it 
as a distinct species. 
Madeira, March 3, 1866. 
