THE WALKING FERN AND HART’S-TONGUE. 267 
and Kansas. It-was once regarded as being 
closely restricted to limestone rocks, and, 
indeed, shows a preference for them, growing 
where the soil is soft and thin and its roots 
can come in contact with the stone; but it is 
now known to grow also upon sandstone, 
shale, gneiss, quartzite and granite. The 
books unite in calling it a rare species but 
this is due more to its local distribu- 
tion than to any lack of the plants 
themselves. It certainly is not rare 
with the rareness of the hart’s-tongue 
or Asplentum ebenotdes or even the lit- 
tle curly grass. Onthe dryish ledges 
of shaded cliffs it frequently spreads a 
carpet of its interlacing fronds that 
may be pulled off in large sheets. Its 
fondness for horizontal shelves and the 
tops of rocks is especially noticeable. 
Miss S. F. Price notes in the Fern Bul. 
fetin that in parts of Kentucky the 
plant is called wall link. 
The leathery, dark green and glossy 
fronds endure the winter unharmed and 
last for some time the following year. 
There is some belief that they may occa- 
sionally last through two winters. On ac 
count of its interesting features, it is a 
desirable plant for the fern garden. It 
will grow and thrive in any garden soil if 
given deep shade, but it does much better A FRUITING 
in the chinks of a rockery made of lime- ss 
stone or other calcareous material. 
