54 THE MOONWORT AND ITS ALLIES. 



ing to the " Doctrine of Signatures " the shape of its 

 pinnules showed this plant to be under the influence of 

 the moon and therefore good for all diseases of a peri- 

 odic character and especially valuable for the cure of 

 lunacy which was supposed in some way to be caused 

 by that luminary. To be efficient, it had to be gathered 

 at full moon and by its light. 



" Then rapidly with foot as light 

 As the young musk roe's, out she flew, 

 To cull each shining leaf that grew 

 Beneath the moonlight's hallowing beams." 



The moonwort is a boreal species. It is found in 

 Greenland, Alaska and in the United States as far south 

 as Connecticut, New York, Michigan and Colorado. 

 Near its southern limits it is extremely rare, the records 

 usually resting upon a very limited number of specimens. 

 In British America it is said to be not uncommon. It is 

 also found in Northern Europe and Asia. Across the 

 water its habitat is given as " open heaths, moors and 

 elevated rocky pastures." It is regarded as " local, 

 rather than rare" in England. 



The Common Grape Fern. 



The common grape fern (Botryck^um obliquuiri) is not 

 rare in eastern America, but owing to its retiring dis- 

 position cannot always be found when wanted. It de- 

 lights to grow in half-cultivated lands where some 

 friendly rock or stump protects it from the tread of cat- 

 tle and the implements of the farmer. One often finds 

 it as he climbs over an old stone wall or crosses a bushy 

 pasture, especially if the spot be moist, but on other 

 occasions he may search the countryside in vain for 

 specimens. 



