156 FERN GROWING 



Some of the islands around our coast have yielded many 

 good Ferns : the Channel Islands, Arran, and other of those 

 islands along the west coast of Scotland and Ireland have 

 given good varieties ; and if we take as an illustration the 

 number of species of Ferns that are to be found in the 

 limited area of some of these islands, we become astonished 

 at such fertile spots. Taking Lundy as our example, we have 

 an island of 3I miles in length, from north to south, and under 

 a mile broad where widest; it is situated 19 miles outside 

 Barnstable Bay, and has precipitous cliffs. The loftiest 

 mountain is Beacon Hill, 525 feet in height. For the most 

 part it is a rocky table-land exposed to the blasts of the 

 Atlantic gales ; it swarms with innumerable sea-birds, but 

 the only animals are rabbits and rats. Although so small, 

 and separated 19 miles from the mainland, there is a plentiful 

 supply of fresh-water springs. Amongst the flora the following 

 Ferns inhabit Lundy : — 



Adiantum Capillus- Veneris (rare). Nefhrodium Filix-mas. 

 Asplenmm Adiantum-nigrum. „ rigidum. 



„ Filix-foimina. „ recurrum. 



„ lanceolatum. „ spinulosum. 



„ marinum. „ dilatatum. 



Aspidium aculeatum. Polypodium vulgare. 



Cystopteris fragilis and variety. Scolopendrium vulgare. 



Lomaria Spicant. Pteris aquilina. 



Osmunda regalis. Ophioglossum vulgatum. 



Ferns undergo great changes in the vigour of their growth, 

 according to a greater or less favourable situation. The author 

 has found Pteris aquilina on the summit of Helvellyn with 

 fronds only three inches in length, and on Longridge Fell exceed- 

 ing ten feet. Polypodium vulgare, P. dryopteris, P. phegopteris, 

 and Nephrodium alpinum vary from one to three inches, and 

 Nephrodium abbreviatum bore twelve -inch fronds on Ben 

 Lawers. Asplenium marinum in the sea-caves at Auchmithie, 



