xvi CONTENTS. 



SECTION L- Continued. 



PAGE 



VI. THE MAIDENHAIR . . , .156 



VII. THE ANNUAL MAIDENHAIR . . 161 



VIII. THE MOUNTAIN PARSLEY FERN . . 163 



IX. THE BRISTLE FERN . . . .167 



X. THE MOONWORT . . . 171 



XI. THE ADDERS-TONGUE . . . 173 



XII. THE LITTLE ADDERS-TONGUE . 176 



SECTION II. 

 FERN GROUPS. 



FERN GROUPS ...... 181 



CHAP. I. THE POLYPODIES . . . .185 



II. THE SHIELD FERNS . . . .203 



III. THE BLADDER FERNS . . .215 



IV. THE WOODSIAS . . . .225 

 V. THE BUCKLER FERNS . . .231 



VI. THE SPLEENWORTS . . . .255 



VII. THE FILMY FERNS . . . .285 



L'ENVOI ....... 291 



KEY TO FRONTISPIECE. 



i. Scaly Spleenwort. 2. Sea Spleenwort, (frond.) 3. Common Maidenhair 

 Spleen wort, (frond.) 4. Black Maidenhair Spleenwort, (frond.) 5. Lanceolate 

 Spleenwort, (frond.) 6. Rue-leaved Spleenwort, (portion of frond.) 7. Forked 

 Spleenwort, (frond.) 8. Lady Fern, (branch of frond.) 9. Soft Prickly Shield 

 Fern, (branch of frond.) 10. Tunbridge Filmy Fern, (frond.) n. Maidenhair, 

 (portion of frond.) 12. Male Fern, (branch of frond.) 13. Prickly-toothed 

 Buckler Fern, (branch of frond.) 14. Marsh Buckler Fern, (branch of frond.) 

 15. Hay-scented Buckler Fern, (branch of frond.) 16. Mountain Buckler 

 Fern, (branch of frond. ) 17. Common Polypody, (frond.) 18. Mountain Poly- 

 pody, (small leaflet of frond.) 19. Three-branched Polypody, (pair of leaflets 

 on branch of frond.) 20. Hard Fern, (barren frond.) 21. Royal Fern, (leaflet 

 of branch ofbarren frond.) 22. Moonwort, (leaflet of barren frond.) 23. Adders- 

 tongue, (barren frond and seed-bearing spike.) 24. Bracken, (portion of frond.) 

 25. Brittle Bladder Fern, (branch of frond.) 26. Broad Buckler Fern, (sma 

 branch of frond.) 



