PREFATORY NOTICE, 



Of all the Families of plants, perhaps there is none that 

 needs so much to be illustrated by figures as the Ferns. 

 They are, from their variableness of character, and owing 

 to the different forms they exhibit in different individuals 

 of the same species, and even in different parts of the same 

 individual, especially in the very compound kinds, exceed- 

 ingly difficult of verbal definition, and hence the descriptions 

 of writers have been so greatly misunderstood, even those 

 that have been the most full and most accurately worded. 



It was the want of such Fern-figures, as helps to a more 

 thorough knowledge of these lovely plants, that induced us 

 to devote the whole of the last volume (the Tenth) of our 

 t! Icones Plantarum," exclusively, to this Family, and we 

 think Mr. Pamplin did right in issuing copies of this volume 

 separate, to those who might not care to possess the entire 

 work, and under the title of a " Century of Ferns." 

 So favourably was this volume received that it has induced 

 the Author to publish another and "Second Century," 

 the volume now before us. 



There is indeed no scarcity of materials for many such 

 volumes, could sufficient patronage be insured; for the dis- 

 covery of new species has of late years been quite extra- 

 ordinary, in different parts of the world ; and it would be 

 still more extraordinary if we could persuade ourselves 



