THE FUEN PARADISE. 



completely hidden by a thick drapery of densely 

 packed reddish-brown scales. These beautiful 

 scales extend to every part of the back of the 

 frond, covering up midrib and pinnule, and 

 affording a snug hiding-place for the spore-cases. 

 The fronds grow in tufts from a central crown, 

 and are always most luxuriant when found at the 

 top of walls, under the shelter of overhanging 

 trees. 



Well do we remember the pleasure we ex- 

 perienced on finding, after a long search, our first 

 specimens of the Scale Fern. We had previously 

 read the description of this beautiful species, and 

 had seen the coloured representations of it ; but 

 had never happened to set eyes on the living plant, 

 either in a wild or cultivated state. We, there- 

 fore, started in our first search for the wild plant 

 from Totnes in the direction of Berry Pomeroy 

 Castle, having been assured that we should find 

 some specimens on an old wall which skirted the 

 wood surrounding the Castle. We were some 

 time in finding the old wall in question ; but we 

 at length lighted upon it. Carefully we searched 

 on both sides for some distance, but without en- 





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