THE WALKING FERN AND HART'S- 

 TONGUE. 



NE of the good points about 

 the study of ferns is that the 

 subject can never be quite 

 exhausted. There is always 

 something more to be 

 learned or a species yet un- 

 discovered in the locality to 

 search for. Some plants 

 have the faculty of eluding 

 one for years and then 

 appearing in some out-of-the-way nook, while others 

 must be made the objects of special expeditions if one 

 would obtain them. In the latter category may be 

 placed the two plants to be discussed in this chapter. 

 In addition to being uncommon or rare, their peculiar 

 forms make them easily overlooked unless the collector 

 has once seen them growing. 



The talking Fern. 



The very name of the walking fern (Camptosorus rhiz- 

 ophyllus) sounds sufficiently attractive to arouse interest 

 in those who ordinarily are not fern collectors. Com- 

 paratively few, however, have seen it growing and the 

 majority are inclined to hold curious ideas regarding it. 

 One collector told the writer that he fully expected to 



