(120) 
other specimens of tropical ferns as are too large for the 
benches in house No. 10. Many specimens of tree-ferns, 
from various parts of the world, are here brought together. 
These graceful plants usually inhabit the mountains of the 
tropics, commonly at an elevation of 1500 feet or more. 
Many of the plants here have been secured by Garden expe- 
ditions to different parts of the American tropics. Another 
feature of interest is the group of staghorn-ferns, occupy- 
ing one corner of the house; the application of the com- 
mon name staghorn is quite evident in several of the species. 
Suspended from the roof in baskets are many desirable ferns. 
A fern from China and Tartary, known as the Scythian 
Lamb (Crbotcum Barometz), will be found in the center 
of this house near the walk; it is of interest as forming the 
basis of a marvellous tale, current in early times, to the 
effect that on a vast plain to the eastward of the Volga oc- 
curred a wonderful plant, looking like a lamb; this animal, 
so the story ran, was supported upon a stalk and as soon as it 
had exhausted the vegetation at hand died from starvation. 
flouse No. 12. The plants in this house, as well as 
those in house No. 14, are arranged in botanical sequence, 
with a view to furnishing a collection for the comparative 
study of plant families and genera; to make this as com- 
plete as possible, as many representatives of families and 
genera are brought together as space and cultural condi- 
tions permit. Cultural requirements necessitate placing the 
ferns and their allies somewhat out of their sequence position, 
at the south end of the west side bench. The east side bench 
is devoted to the pine family, the yew family, and to the en- 
dogenous plants, the last named terminating with the orchids, 
next the tree-fern house. The sequence of exogenous plants 
begins on the west side bench, as one enters from house No. 
13, Crosses to the central bench at the ferns, and continues 
around that, ending in this house with the loasa family, near 
the fern house. The sequence is then continued in house 
No. 14, beginning with the mezereon family on the north 
side bench, at the entrance from house No. 13, continuing 
