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such as Struthiopteris, Onoclea, Osmunda cinnamomea 

 and Lomaria Magellanica, they are borne on special non- 

 foliaceous fronds, which in the case of 0. cinnamomea and 

 other early ripening kinds, die off and practically disappear 

 soon after the spores are shed. In Struthiopteris Orien talis 

 and other late ripening kinds on the other hand, the fertile 

 fronds persist until long after the barren ones have dis- 

 appeared. 



Ferns are, however, not so much the slaves to precedent 

 as might be imagined, and it is not unusual to find them 

 leaving the beaten track and striking out aline of conduct 

 more in harmony with the local conditions. 



In a huge bed of Struthiopteris here, I have unique 

 opportunities for noting any departure from the normal 

 method of fructification, and have frequently noticed 

 spores produced on fronds of normal (or barren) outline 

 instead of being confined to one type of fertile frond as is 

 usually the case. I have also noticed stray sporangia 

 trespassing on otherwise barren fronds of 0. cinnamomea 

 instead of being confined to one central non-foliaceous 

 fertile frond. 



Perhaps the most singular recently acquired habit is that 

 of suprasoriferation in Scols, and to a lesser extent in 

 Polypods. For countless ages these plants have been 

 content to produce their spores on the under surfaces of 

 the fronds. With the introduction of the marginate and 

 muricate varieties, however, it was soon seen that the sori 

 showed a strange tendency to make their appearance on 

 the edges cf the fronds, and some even went so far as to 

 produce the greater portion on the upper surface. 



It is evident that nature has no insuperable objection to 

 suprasoriferation, otherwise she would never adopt it. 

 She managed to rub along pretty comfortably from the dawn 



