ORDER II. 

 FILICES. 



< But on St John's mysterious night, 



Sacred to many a wizard spell, 

 The time when first to human sight 

 Confest the mystic fern-seed fell ; 

 Beside the sloe's black knotted thorn, 

 What hour the Baptist stern was born 

 That hour when heaven's breath is still, 

 I'll seek the shaggy fern-clad hill, 

 Where time has delved a dreary dell, 

 Befitting best a hermit's cell ; 

 And watch, 'mid murmurs muttering stern, 

 The seed departing from the Fern, 

 Ere wakeful demons can convey 

 The wonder-working charm away, 

 And tempt the blows from arm unseen, 

 Should thoughts unholy intervene." 



LEYDBN. 



* Capsules aggregate, on the back of a leaf y frond. 



"2. POLYPODIUM. Capsules in roundish scattered masses. Cover 

 none. 



3. ASPIDIUM. Capsules in roundish scattered masses. Cover near- 



ly orbicular, fixed by the centre, separating all round. 



4. CYSTEA. Capsules in roundish scattered masses. Cover orbi- 



cular, concave, fixed by a lateral point underneath, finally 

 reflexed and jagged. 



A3 



