PTEUIS. 163 



edges of all the little divisions of its fronds furnished with 

 a line of spore-cases. No other of our native species has 

 the fructification arranged in continuous lines except this 

 and the Blechnum and the Pteris may be readily known 

 from that by the lines being in it confined to the margin, 

 leaving the centre unoccupied, while in Blechnum the mar- 

 gin is unoccupied by the sori. 



Pteris is a Greek name for a Fern, and is derived from, 

 the word pteron, which signifies a feather ; and, of course, 

 is here applied in reference to the graceful feather-like 

 aspect which the fronds of Perns generally possess. When 

 the plant is luxuriant this name is quite as applicable to the 

 Bracken as to any other known Fern. This consideration 

 is perhaps enough to justify the application to this species, 

 by the older writers, of the name of Female Fern, which 

 scarcely seems appropriate to the commoner uncouth-look- 

 ing form which the plant more usually bears. 



PTERIS AQTJILINA, Linn&w. The Common Brakes, or 

 Bracken. (Plate XVII. fig. 1.) 



This Fern has a creeping caudex, and one that creeps 

 very extensively too, just beneath the surface of the soil, 

 though in some cases descending to a great depth perpen- 

 dicularly ; it is recorded by Mr. Newman that he has found 



