48 



THE FERN BULLETIN 



of the genus Meniscium. 



The species from which our illustration was made 

 was collected by Mr. D. Le Roy Topping in Luzon, 

 Philippine Islands where it appears to be not uncom- 

 mon. It is also found in some of the islands of the 

 East Indies. 



WALKING FERNS. 



By Adella Prescott. 



It was on a sultry day late in June that I first made 

 the acquaintance of the walking fern (Camptosorus 

 rhizophyllus) in its native haunts. A lady who lived 

 in the locality where they grew kindly offered to act 

 as guide for a party of whom I was one and ignoring 

 a sign-board which said "No trespassing'' we follow- 

 ed a trail along the side of the ravine until we reached 

 the tumbled mass of rocks where grew the ferns. We 

 were not the only ones who ignored the sign, for the 

 wayside was adorned at irregular intervals by tramps 

 in various attitudes of repose and it seemed to me 

 quite fitting that the path leading to the abode of the 

 walking ferns should be a favorite with those who 

 make walking an occupation. One of them had re- 

 moved his shoes and sat on a log with both stockinged 

 feet firmly planted on a bed of moss quite as if he 

 were waiting for them to take root, and I confidently 

 expect when I go that way again to find three tramps 

 growing where but one grew before. 



The walking fern is most at home on limestone 

 rocks and while it is liable to be abundant where 

 found at all yet it may well be counted among the rare 

 ferns, and it looks so little like most other ferns that 

 one would hardly suspect its identity if he had no 

 previous knowledge of it. It has a short dark root- 

 stock, and its narrow fronds, eared or heart-shaped at 



