COMMON SCALE FERN 89 



spleene, but all infirmities of the liver, may be effectu- 

 ally and in a very short time removed 



But this is to be reckoned amongst the old wives' 

 fables, and that also which Dioscorides telleth of, touch- 

 ing the gathering of spleenewort in the night, and other 

 most vaine things which are found here and there 

 scattered in old books." There may be yet some grain 

 of truth in even old wives' fables ; and CeteracJi, though 

 its Arabic name be lost, is still retained in Italy in the 

 list of officinal plants. On the Welsh coast they use 

 it as a bait in fishing for rock-cod. It does not appa- 

 rently extend further north than Scotland, but is 

 spread over the centre and south of Europe, North and 

 " South Africa," through Central Asia, and, it is said, 

 in Brazil. It grows freely in the garden in lime- 

 rubbish, requiring to be kept rather dry. 



HABITATS. Arnside Knott (Miss Beever), Miln- 

 thorpe, Scout's Scar (Kendal), Ambleside (Miss S. 

 Seever), Grosforth (Robsori), Keswick, Sand with, St. 

 Bees, Yew Crags and Ara Beck (Ullswater), Whit- 

 barrow, &c. 



ramosum, Arnside, J. Crossfield. 

 crenatum, In several places. 



