1858.] VERNATION OF THE BRITISH FERNS. 539 



selves in the more inaccessible parts of tlie rocks, where one could 

 only guess at their specific names. Having passed Reynard^s 

 Hall and Kitchen, the Church Rock, Pike, and Dove Holes, and 

 other salient or notable features of the dale, I found on an islet 

 in the river a small forest of Carduus heterophyllus, L. I searched 

 for, and did not find, Convallaria majalis, L., which I understand 

 grows near the Dove Holes ; in any case I could have done no 

 more than confirmed the witness of others, as its blooms must 

 have passed at the time of both my visits. Carex hirta, L., and 

 others of the same family, are to be seen in almost all parts of 

 the dale. Among the Grasses, I noticed Phleum asperum, Jacq. ?, 

 Avena flavescens, L., Triodia decumbens, Beauv., Kcele7ia cristata, 

 Pers., and a Festuca which I cannot identify with any British 

 representative of the same genus. This may partly arise from 

 the specimen which I obtained being still immature, but may 

 bcj most probably, very justly chargeable to my own want of 

 skill. 



I feel well convinced that the above very meagre account most 

 imperfectly represents the Flora of Dovedale. I had fully pur- 

 posed, on occasion of my last visit, to have given another day to 

 a fuller search after the floral treasures of this lovely valley, but 

 after waiting a day, and finding the weather still unpropitious, 

 was compelled to beat a retreat. After all, I was not so badly off 

 as a fellow-traveller who arrived in the evening, after the rain 

 had commenced, and the next morning, after making a vain 

 attempt, provided with cloak, goloshes, and umbrella, to get a 

 sight of the valley, returned to the inn well drenched for his 

 pains, and not much delighted with a close view of the thick 

 mist which filled the dale.. 

 Bayswater, July 14, 1858. 



ON THE VEENATION OE THE BEITISH FEENS. 



By John Lloyd. 



The vernation of the British Ferns is sometimes considered as 

 collateral evidence in marking the distinctions between nearly 

 allied species. The following observations were made upon the 

 13th of May last, and the plants named were growing together 

 in a north border, where they are all exposed to similar influ- 



