78 



THE ATLANTIC SLOPE NATURALIST. 



The log was split and to Sumner's 

 surprise the skeleton of a large-sized 

 bear fell from the cavity. With it 

 came a swarm of bees which had built 

 their nest in the bear's skull where 

 they had stored several pounds of 

 honey. It is supposed that years ago 

 the bear crawled into the tree to steal 

 honey which the bees were making in 

 the hollow trunk, and, being unable 

 to extricate itself, slowly starved to 

 death. 



Ver3' truly yours, 



Alfred S. Wright. 



The Genus Nephrodium in Wellington 



County, Ontario, Canada. 



By A. B. Klugh, Secretary Wellington Field 

 Naturalists' Club, Guelph, Ont. 



The genus Nephrodium is by far the 

 best represented genus in our femflora, 

 both as to number of species and indi- 

 viduals. Everywhere in marsh, swamp, 

 wood, and thicket we meet its members. 



Nephrodium uoveboracense, the New 

 York Fern, is one of our most attractive 

 and scarcest ferns, and in shape of blade 

 is unique, as the pinnae taper down to 

 mere lobes at the base. It inhabits dry 

 open woods, and so far only two stations 

 for it are known in the county. 



N. thelypteris, the Marsh Fern, is one 

 of our most abundant species, as in 

 marshes and bogs it forms immense 

 beds. The great length of the stipe is 

 diagnostic of the species. Early in the 

 year only the sterile fronds are to be 

 seen, as the fertile ones do not appear 

 until about July 7. In these latter the 

 segments seem narrower and pointed on 

 account of their velvet margins. 



The fronds of both this and the pre- 

 ceding species wither at the approach of 

 winter. 



N. marginale, the Marginal Shield 

 Fern, is a clean-cut and attractive species, 

 with thick, beathery fronds of a peculiar 

 dark green (almost blue-green) color, 

 and sori covered with a thick indusium, 

 which is lead-color when young, born 

 near the margin of the pinnules. This 

 species is very common, especially in the 



talus at the bottom of cliffs, and in dark 

 swamps. It is evergreen, as are all the 

 following species, but of them all this 

 one stands the winter best. 



In wet woods and swales A', cristatnm, 

 the Crested Fern, is very common, and 

 its habit of bearing the pinnae of the 

 fertile fronds with their plane at almost 

 right angles to the plane of the frond, 

 easily distinguishes it from any other 

 species. The fertile fronds are much 

 taller than the serile and bear the longest 

 sori of any of our Nephrodiums. The 

 blade is narrow, and pinnate with pin- 

 natifid pinnae. During winter the sterile 

 fronds will be found fresh and green, 

 while the fertile ones will have disap- 

 peared. 



The variety clintonianum is occasional- 

 ly found in this locality. It is disting- 

 uished from type by its larger size, the 

 pinnae being from four to six inches in 

 length, while those of cristatnm are from 

 two to three inches in length. The 

 difference in size between fertile and 

 sterile fronds is very noticeable in the 

 variety. 



By far the rarest fern in this county is 

 N. boottii, Hootts' Shield Fern, as but 

 one station is known for it, and even 

 there it is very scarce. 



In everything this species is inter- 

 mediate between cristatnm and spinulo- 

 sum. In shape of frond it most re- 

 sembles the former, while in cutting it is 

 nearer the latter. The one station at 

 present known for it is a little open spot 

 in a spring sphagnum swamp. 



N. spinulosum, the Spinulose Shield 

 Fern, is a very abundant and variable 

 species. It may be found m all out- 

 woods and swamps, and is at its best in 

 damp, high-timbered land. The blade is 

 more finely divided than that of any other 

 of our ferns, giving it a very light and 

 beautiful appearance. A form with the 

 scales of the stipe pale brown with a dark 

 centre, and the indusium beset with 

 stalked glands, has been named the var- 

 iety intermedium, but its characters are 

 certaiuly not of enough importance to 

 warrant distinction as a variety, or in fact 



