FEKXY BAUBLES IN SOUTH DEVON. 



wort, growing together on bridge sides. But the 

 specimens of Hartstongue are invariably diminu- 

 tive when growing on walls, rocks, or bridge 

 arches. The Black Maidenhair Spleenwort, un- 

 questionably one of the most beautiful of the 

 Fern family, is also usually found to be stunted 

 when growing on the bare open side of a rock, 

 wall, or bridge arch. It nevertheless delights in 

 stones ; but then the stones and rocks must be in 

 the shade, and covered by overhanging bushes. 

 A little way from the stone bridge already men- 

 tioned, on the road between Totnes and Ash- 

 burton, in the slate-rock side of a hedge-bank, we 

 caught sight of a tuft of the Black Maidenhair 

 Spleenwort, growing in a conspicuous position. 

 We felt persuaded that other specimens would be 

 near. One portion of the slate rock was hidden by 

 bushes that closed over it. Pressing these on 

 one side, we found, as we had expected, an un- 

 usually fine plant of our Spleenwort, its roots 

 being firmly imbedded in the layers of slate-rock, 

 which were kept cool and moist by the shelter of 

 the bushes. Where this Fern abounds you will 

 always find the largest and most luxuriant speci- 



103 



