2 6 THE FERN PARADISE. 



And now, for a moment, the bright valley 

 which we have left below us is forgotten in the 

 new sight which refreshes the eye. Hitherto 

 the sunlight has shone upon the path ; but here 

 our lane becomes suddenly darkened as it creeps 

 under the shadow of higher hedge-banks, and of 

 overhanging trees. Just one glance through a 

 breach in the shady mound which helps to shut 

 out the sunshine, and the eye will catch a lovely 

 glimpse of the hill-side sloping down into the 

 valley below. The bright peep charmingly con- 

 trasts with the dark depths of the lane. But in 

 this dark and cool retreat fern-life is predominant. 

 On the right the thick hedge is covered with an 

 almost impenetrable mass of bushes, which rise 

 high above its top, shedding upon it the dimness of 

 evening twilight. Growing out against the dark 

 background of bushes are some luxuriant speci- 

 mens of the Common Hartstongue (Scolopendrium 

 vulgare), one of the most easily recognisable of the 

 British ferns, with its crumpled tongue-shaped frond, 

 growing sometimes to the length stem and frond 

 together of three feet. The thick and rich-looking 



