I860.] LASTREA REMOTA. 227 



Before I lay down my pen, I must add a few words as to the 

 collection of fresh-water Algae for the purpose I have mentioned. 

 They may be obtained from the first pond or ditch containing 

 water, running or stagnant. The Algse are Nature's purifiers, and 

 will be sweet enough when washed, how foul soever may be the 

 water on which they float. A stick with a crook will collect 

 many kinds of Algse, but others, which consist of disjointed fila- 

 ments,* or are too lubricous to hang round the crook, may be 

 dipped out with a cup, a tin canister, or a muslin net. The 

 water may be squeezed out, and the weeds wrapped up, if more 

 convenient, in rag or paper. They will revive in the water, even 

 if quite dry : indeed, this property of reviving after being dried 

 up is one of their attributes, otherwise many species would perish 

 during the droughts of summer or the frosts of winter. 



2, Dorset Gardens, Brighton. 



LASTEEA EEMOTA. 



By Frederic Clowes. 



The Fern which Mr. Moore considers identical with Lastrea 

 remota [Aspidium remotmn of Braun) , has been cultivated by me 

 for several years. I have therefore had abundant opportunity of 

 observing its peculiarities, and a few remarks on it may be interest- 

 ing to your readers. It was found at Windermere about six years 

 ago. Mr. Isaac Huddart first observed it, and we both thought 

 it most like a fine specimen of Lastrea cristata, var. spinulosa. 

 After it had grown a year or two in my garden, I found the 

 caudex was erect, not creeping, as in spinulosa, and year by 

 year it became more and more like L. Filix-mas. I showed it 

 to several good botanists, but they paid no attention to it. Last 

 autumn I sent it to Mr. Moore, who told me he had no doubt 

 that it was identical with L. remota. The plant was found grow- 

 ing with L, Filix-mas, var. incisa and abbreviata, L. spinulosa and 

 L. dilatata, about five miles from limestone rocks, where L. rigida 

 is abundant. With all these it has some characters in common, 

 but from all it differs. The resemblances and differences are best 

 seen in a tabular form, as follow. A few plants only were found, 



* The green scum, full of air-bubbles, often seen on the surface of water, consists 

 entii'ely of Algse, frequently of various species. 



