dOO IMPROVEMENT IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF FERNS. 



nious system, whilst the preservation of the forms best adapted to a 

 situation amongst a great number of variations arising without order 

 must produce a confused mass of objects having no regular relations, 

 and incapable of being reduced to a common system. Which of these 

 actually prevails in nature, I cannot for a moment hesitate in deciding, 

 and consequently I must maintain that if there is variation it must be 

 within definite limits, and according to a fixed plan, so as to maintain 

 a uniform order and harmony in the whole, system. One more observa- 

 tion I may venture upon, that the latest observations of facts lessen 

 considerably the supposed necessity for enormous periods of time to 

 allow of known geological changes, diminishing, therefore, the countless 

 ages which are required by the Darwinians for the production of the 

 existing system of nature. 



Declining any attempt, oti such an occasion, to discuss generally the 

 arguments on the subject, he referred to Dr. Lionel Beale's work on 

 Protoplasm, and in conclusion noticed the work of his son, the Rev. 

 Thomas Hincks, E.A., on British Hydroid Zoophytes, of which he 

 laid a copy on the table for the inspection of the members present. 



AN ATTEMPTED IMPROVEMENT IN THE ARRANGEMENT 



OF FERNS, 

 AND m THE NOMENCLATURE OF THEIR SUB-DIVISIONS. 



BY THE KEV. WILLIAM HINCKS, F.L.S., F.B.S.. Bdin., &c. 



PROFESSOR OF NATURAL HISTORY IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, TORONTO, PRESIDENT OF THE 

 CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



Preliminary Note. — In ofifering to those interested in Botany, and especially 

 in the beautiful tribe of Ferns, through the Canadian Institute, some views and 

 plans which he hopes may not be entirely worthless, the author has thought it 

 desirable, as immediately addressing a Society of very varied scientific pursuits, 

 who could not be supposed to be generally familiar with the subject brought 

 before them, to give a veiy concise sketch of the progress of the knowledge of 

 Ferns, and of some peculiarities in their structure, which would not have been 

 deemed necessary had the paper come before a society of botanists, but may, he 

 hopes, be excused as not being inappropriate in the actual circumstances. 



Ferns, as a distinct group, are well known even to those who pay 

 least attention to the differences among plants, and ,are much admired 

 both by observers of nature and by cultivators. 



