FERN LAND. 19 



found in Devonshire are the Lanceolate Spleen- 

 wort (Asplenium lanceolatum), the tiny Forked 

 Spleenwort (Asplenium septentrionale], the Tun- 

 bridge Filmy Fern (Hymenophyllum Tunbridgense), 

 and Wilson's Filmy Fern (Hymenophyllum Wil- 

 soni). The Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria), and 

 the Common Adders-tongue (Ophioglossum vul- 

 gatnin}, are also ferns of Devonshire growth. We do 

 but enumerate these, and pass on to speak of some 

 of the ferns which may be seen in almost every 

 Devonshire lane, and which, although common in 

 the sense of being plentiful, are nevertheless 

 amongst the most beautiful of the British ferns. 

 Yet beautiful as are the varieties of which we shall 

 speak, they are within the reach of all who may 

 choose to gather them, and that is our reason for 

 devoting especial attention to these varieties. 



Gentle reader, will you follow us in imagination 

 whilst we endeavour to describe to you some Devon- 

 shire lanes which are familiar to us ? And please 

 remember that, exquisitely beautiful as they are, 

 they are nevertheless but types of thousands of 

 other lanes that the ordinary tourist may find for 



