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point, and not curled ; while in raraosuni the apices are subdivided, 

 and the mid-vein tenninates in a lash of branches, so that the seg- 

 ments are rounded, and curled on themselves ; in every respect, save 

 their single rachis, bearing a perfect analogy to a form of Scolopen- 

 drium vulgare, /. e., ramosum or crispum, where we find the same 

 appearances contrasting with the multifid form of harl's-tongue, as 

 these specimens show. This form of Scolopendrium has not, I be- 

 lieve, been found here. I cannot find any forms of any other fern 

 analogous to Blechnum Spicant and ramosum. The multifid variety, 

 in this country, pervades many other species. It has been found in 

 all the spleenworts, except the wall-rue ; in all the Lastreas, except 

 the heath, shield fern, and L. rigida ; in all the Polystichums, except 

 P. Lonchitis ; in the common Polypody, the common brake, Killarney 

 fern, and Grammitis Ceterach (for which I am indebted to W. H. 

 Luscombe, Esq.), Botrychium, and Ophioglossum. Of most of these 

 species there are specimens now before you, all gathered in this 

 country, during the last summer, and all agreeing in the general fea- 

 tures of being inconstant, not permanent even in the wild plant, and 

 not interfering with the fertility of the frond. The next in our list is 

 the distorted variety of B. Spicant. To it, Francis, who describes 

 and figures it in his ' British Ferns,' has given the name o{ strict um. 

 His plants were procured from Ambleside. The plants before you 

 were procured at Glenmacnass, county Wicklow, growing in a cleft 

 of a rock, last July. They have continued under cultivation ever 

 since, without materially altering their character. The only satisfac- 

 tory analogue to it recorded, is the variety of L. Filix-mas, called 

 abbreviatutn, of which specimens, from Kilmashogue, near White- 

 church, are before you. To the form of the lady fern {Athyrium 

 Filix-fcemina), which next engages our attention, several names have 

 been given, of which the least open to objection appears to be furca- 

 tum. It differs, as you perceive, from the common form in having its 

 pinnae and the apex of the frond split up into a number of segments, 

 so as to present a tasselled appearance. This specimen was obtained 

 in a hedge-row at Caherpoher, near Feacle, county Clare, growing on 

 clay slate, and has, as you perceive, retained its characters in culti- 

 vation. A more singular monstrosity of the same form is figured in 

 Newman's ' British Ferns.' This last was obtained in Mayo, and is 

 remarkable for seeding freely, the seedlings in every respect resem- 

 bling the original plant. There is also, in the College collection, a 

 fern, obtained at Killarney, by the late Mr. Ogilby, which closely 

 resembles that found by me in Clare ; and Mr. J. Bain, to whom I 



