many a distinguished name. Amongst these are particularly 

 prominent those of two ladies — Mrs. Pulsifer Ames, and Mrs. 

 Austen — who, according to Professor Eaton, first discovered this 

 fern " in moist meadows and along creeks in the Sierra Nevada 

 of Northern California, especially in a meadow containing also 

 the Darlingtonia Californica (the Californian Pitcher Plant), near 

 Ouincy, Plumas County;" and "from Berry Creek Canon, Butte 

 County, by Mrs. Ames." Professor Eaton named it from this 

 location, Aspidiwn Nevadcnse, and it forms plate X. of the work 

 referred to for the description. No date is given with the 

 appearance of the parts of this standard work, and it may per- 

 haps save disputes in the future as to the priority of names if we 

 here fix 1878 as the date of Professor Eaton's description. It 

 will thus be seen that it is a very recent discovery ; indeed all 

 we know of it is from the account given in Professor Eaton's 

 work, and the examination of living specimens from which our 

 drawing was made, kindly furnished by Professor C. S. Sargent, 

 of Cambridge Botanical Garden. The name, however, is unfortu- 

 nate, as it will lead to the supposition that it is from the State of 

 Nevada, and even so far as the Sierra Nevada, Mountains of 

 California are concerned, Plumas and Butte Counties, where the 

 ladies found this fern, are not in the true Nevada but in the 

 Lassen range ; and thus the name is still less pardonable than 

 that for the New York fern, Aspidium AToveboraccnsc, which is by 

 no means a " New York " fern, as the Latin name implies. 

 These two species have a very close relationship to each other, 

 and it was no doubt this relationship which suggested to 

 Professor Eaton a similarly local name. One of the most strik- 

 ing differences from this eastern species will be noted in the 

 short stout root stock, while those who have taken from the 

 earth the " New York fern " will remember the slender cord- 

 like rhizome with the apex far ahead of the fully formed frond. 

 This slowly developing rhizome brings all the fronds together 

 in a tuft, and it follows that the general appearance of the grow- 

 ing plant IS very different from that of its eastern relative. 



