io8 



frond is mature, but before the spores begin to fall. When 

 I first examined these species for the characteristic indusia, 

 I found Newman's picture, in the case of dilatata, very 

 closely simulated by the radiating heads of sporangia 

 projecting from beneath the covering indusium giving an 

 almost exact reproduction of Newman's drawing. I was 

 inclined to suspect that Newman had discovered a mare's 

 nest, and that the heads of the sporangia projecting more 

 or less in the different species represented the so-called 

 glands, stalked or otherwise, according to the amount of 

 their emergence. Upon dissecting off the indusium with 

 a fine tiiangular needle, and examining it alone under a 

 low power of the microscope,, I found the projections were 

 really there as outgrowths of the cellular substance of the 

 indusium itself. They were, however, much less diagram- 

 matic than in Newman's figures, and 1 should not advise 

 even the botanist, and much less the beginner in fern 

 study, to rely upon these appearances as distinguishing 

 characters of the species. They are, however, striking 

 examples of Newman's power of minute and careful 

 observation. 



A much more obvious character, by which the species 

 can be distinguished, even in the absence of fronds, is the 

 appearance of the crown of the living plant, especially in 

 the autumn or winter. In dilatata the crown resembles 

 a symmetrical nest, with dark brown eggs evenly disposed 

 and pointing upwards or radiating outwards ; while in 

 spinulosa it is unsymmetrical, with light brown eggs pointing 

 sideways and all in one direction ; in cemula it is again a 

 symmetrical nest, but with well formed eggs only around 

 the circumference of the nest, those towards the centre 

 being more or less fused together and undistinguishable 

 as separate units. The " eggs," which of course are the 

 incipient fronds of the next season, are covered with 

 scales, which are pale brown or whitish in cemula, darker 



