ON THE CULTIVATION OF FERNS FROM SPORES. 191 
there is a dispute as to the class in which a fern should be placed, I 
believe in many cases the class could be determined by growing 
from spores the fern whose class was disputed, and ferns acknow- 
ledged to belong to each of the classes to which the fern in dispute 
was referred, and comparing the first or first two fronds of each. I 
have not had time to work this out yet, but I have noticed a strong 
generic likeness in the very early fronds of ferns of the same class 
which does not continue so strong as the plant grows up to maturity. 
T have also found that where a fern has for a long time been classed 
in some particular class, but subsequently placed by some botanists 
in a separate class, the early form of that fern has turned out to be 
quite different from the early form of those with which it has been 
previously classed. How far this could be worked out I cannot at 
present say, and I am afraid I shall never be able to work it out as I 
should like, because I feel I am wanting in that enthusiasm on the 
subject, with just. a slight touch of madness, which is necessary for 
the successful working out of a problem like this. 
Dr. D. MacDonald proposed a vote of thanks to Mr, M. H. Star- 
. . . * f ° 
ling for his interesting paper, and the meeting ended. 
BOOK NOTICE 
SPORT AND TRAVEL 
An interesting journal of ’ Sport and Travel” has been written by Mr. H. 
Liscomb, who appears to be a most ardent sportsman. The book describes prin- 
| i . 
cipally the sport to be found in the district of Astor, just beyond the Cashmere 
frontier. The list of game-animals of Astor is not a long one, and comprises two 
Cashmere is famous—the markhor and ibex—and urin (or wild 
animals for which 
Describing the markhor, 
sheep), the brown or snow bear, and the musk deer. 
Mr. Liscomb says :— 
], recorded on the spot, inclines me to think 
My experience of the Astor anima 
wears a dirty white coat on his 
that the male, in the month of April, at any rate, 
e distance down his sides, making him a very conspicuous 
back, which hangs som 
object indeed among rocks ; the light “ blue grey, ” or “greyish brown,” hardly 
visible on the body. These were the old males ; the young 
es, were decidedly’ of a “muddy red,” that made them, when they were 
motionless, undistinguishable from their surroundings at even a short distance. 
eeks later, in another locality, across the Indus (Damot Valley) the old 
oad streak of dirty-white along their backs, and the light blue 
bucks, herding with 
the femal 
Two w 
bucks had only a br 
grey was very conspicuous. 
his long back and disproportionately short 
The markhor is an ungainly animal ; 
ather detract from his appearance as a game looking beast; his shaggy coat 
26 
legs r 
