246 THE FERN PARADISE. 



this fern, the branches are placed on each side 

 in pairs. Each branch has a row of lobes on its 

 upper and under side, clearly divided from each 

 other, but not divided quite down to the mid- 

 stem of the branch. The branches, which are 

 narrowly lance-shaped, have thus the appearance 

 of being very deeply notched or toothed the 

 points of the lobes being bluntish or round- 

 pointed and their bases, being run together, give 

 the appearance of a leafy wing on each side of 

 the mid-stem of the branch. Towards the point 

 of the frond the branches diminish in length, and 

 become less in breadth, the lobes becoming gradu- 

 ally less and less deeply cut in, until they are 

 finally mere serratures ; which, in turn, disappear 

 as the branches merge in the point of the frond, 

 which then itself becomes notched, finally ending 

 in a point. A perfectly grown specimen of the 

 Mountain Buckler Fern has an extremely elegant 

 aspect. It is although in some of its features 

 like the Male Fern more delicate in its general 

 appearance than that species j there is a more 

 delicate tint of a lighter, more golden green about 



