Adiantum.1 CRYPTOGAMIA— FILICES. 389 



Walls and rocks, very rare. On Amersham or Agmondesham church, 

 Bucks. Stony-place, Wy bourn, Westmoreland ; or Wiborn, Cumber- 

 iaud ; Hudson. — A very distinct and handsome little species. 



7. ScoLOPENDRiUM. Sm. Hart's-Tongue. 



1. S. vulgdre, Sym. (common Har( s-tongue) ; fronds simple 

 oblongo-ligulate acute heart-shaped at the base, stipes scaly. 

 E. Bol. t. 1150. — S. officinarum, Sw. — Aspleyiium Scolopen- 

 drium, L. 



Shady banks, rocky or stony places, in cold and damp situations. — In 

 the moat at Kenihvorth Castle, I have gathered this handsome fern 

 more than 2 feet long. 



8. Pteris. Linn. Brake. 



1. P. aquilina, L. (common Brake); fronds tripartite, branches 

 bipinnate, pinnules linear-lanceolate superior undivided inferior 

 pinnatiHd, the segments oblong obtuse. E. Bat. t. 1679. 



Woods, heaths and stony or sandy soils ; abundant. This is the fa- 

 vourite haunt of the Deer : — 



" The wild Buck bells (bellows) from ferny brake." 



It is employed for thatching houses, and as litter for cattle. The ashes 

 are useful in the manufacture of soap and glass. Its astringent quality 

 has recommended it for dressing and preparing Kid and Chamois leather, 

 and the country people in Scotland employ it as a vermifuge. 



9. Cryptogramma. Br. Rock-brake. 



1. C. crispa, Br. (curled Rock-brake); sterile fronds bipinnate, 

 pinnules bi-tripinnatifid, segments linear-oblong often bidentate 

 at the exti-emity, fertile fronds bipinnate tripinnate below, pin- 

 nules linear-oblong rather obtuse entire narrow at the base. — 

 Pteris crispa, L. — E. Bot. t. 1160. — Allosorus, Kaidf. 



Among loose stones in mountainous countries, in the north : more 

 abundant in the north-west of England than in Scotland. — A very ele- 

 gant Fern, properly distinguished by Mr Brown from Pteris, ditiering 

 as it does in habit, even more than in generic character. 



10. Blechnum. Linn. Hard-fern. 



1. B. boreale, Sw. (northern Hard- Fern) ; sterile fronds pec- 

 tinato-pinnatifid the segments lanceolate rather obtuse, fertile 

 fronds pinnate, pinnse linear acuminate. E. Bot. t. 1159. 



Woods and heaths, abundant ; especially in a poor light soil.— Mr 

 Brown [Prodr. p. 132) suggested that this plant might probably be 

 referred to Lomaria (his Steganid), with which indeed it entirely 

 agrees in habit, and other botanists have unhesitatingly placed it there. 

 But if the young fertile fronds be examined, it will be evident that the 

 involucre is by no means marginal ; for there is a considerable space of 

 frond between it and the margin. 



11. Adiantum. Linn. Maiden-hair. 

 1. A. Capillus Veneris, L. (True Maiden-hair); frond bipin- 

 nate, pinnules thin membranaceous obovato-cuneate inciso-sublo- 



