76 



BRITISH FERNS. 



covering the roof of a large cavern at Petit Bot Bay, in the 

 Island of Guernsey, and the specimens which he obtained there 

 are of enormous size. Its growth is equally luxuriant in the 

 islands of Madeira and Teneriife, as I have been informed by 

 the late Mr. W. Christy, whose ardour in botanical pursuits was 

 only equalled by the kindness of his heart, and whose early 

 loss will long be felt by a large circle of admiring friends. Did 

 I need such an assistance to my memory, this fern would always 

 remind me of him, for it was on the occasion of our last inter- 

 view, that he described to me its beautiful growth in the island 

 of Madeira, and offered me the fronds he had gathered there. 



In Cornwall, A. marinum grows to a larger size than in our 

 northern counties, and its form, as shown below, is more elongate 

 and divided. 



The figure in the preceding page is from a plant I gathered at 

 Red Noses, near Liverpool, where I regret to say that the species 

 has been nearly exterminated. In walking under Turk Moun- 

 tain, on my way from 

 Killarney towards Ken- 

 mare, I found this fern 

 in considerable abund- 

 ance to the left of the 

 road, on a rock which 

 appeared to have been 

 blasted but a few years 

 back. The largest 

 plant I found was of the small size and unusual form repre- 

 sented in the annexed cut, which I thought worth giving as a 

 record of this completely inland habitat. The plant grows at a 

 considerable height on the cliff, and, except to a practised eye, 

 would have much the appearance of Ceterach officinarum. 



