SPORT AND SCIENCE ON THE 



of Shansi, in the crevices of old temples and walls, 

 and in well shaded ravine bottoms. 



Two other small ferns may also be met with 

 in the same spots. One resembles the Hart's 

 Tongue, though it is of a very minute size. The 

 frond is more tapering, ending in a long thread- 

 like point, at the very tip of which the spores 

 occur. ^\Tien this tip touches the ground, the 

 spores develop and a new plant grows. In this 

 way this little fern propagates itself. The other 

 variety more resembles our Spleenw^ort, though 

 it also is very small, and not over abundant. 



In the crevices of some rocks in the highest 

 mountains of Western Shansi I found a delicate 

 fern, also resembling the Hart's Tongue in shape, 

 though without the long point of the species 

 already described, nor the auriculate base of either. 



In the mountains of North Shansi and Chihli 

 yet another fern with a lanceolate frond occurs. 

 This variety is more common than any of those 

 already mentioned, and usually grows upon rock 

 surfaces, even in exposed positions. The under 

 surface of the frond is thickly covered with spores. 

 In the dry season the frond curls up, exposing the 

 spore-covered under surface, so that they are 

 readily scattered by the wind. 



The remaining species of fern is the Bracken, 

 which grows extensively on some of the warmer 

 slopes of the mountains of Northern and Western 

 Shansi and in Kansu. Except in its smaller size 



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