- 7 6- 



ever, primary and secondary fronds had come up at so 

 nearly the same time that both were in fit condition for 

 specimens. The only perceptible difference between 

 these two growths was in the sterile fronds, the later one 

 being less inclined to be sessile or lay flat, and owing to 

 the more rapid development was lighter in color, strag- 

 gling in shape and more delicate generally. 



The age of a plant does not seem to affect its size, but 

 tends to make it stockier, and in some cases the segments 

 or pinnules become so crowded as to force each other on 

 edge. It is a hopeless task to attempt to press such speci- 

 mens, as they appear only a dense mass of crushed leaf- 

 lets, it being impossible to arrange them with any degree 

 of satisfaction. 



In five or six weeks everything had withered and com- 

 menced to turn yellow, and by April, a little bunch of 

 yellow chaff here and there was all that was left, and that 

 entirely disappeared with the first heavy rains, not to 

 show itself again until the following autumn. I have, 

 however, seen sterile fronds appear in midsummer, but 

 these were rare exceptions, and they soon died of the 

 heat. 



I will not attempt to describe this plant, as Professor 

 Underwood, in his pamphlet on " The Ternate Varieties 

 of Botrychinm '' has done so exhaustively. I can advise 

 you as to its habitat, though, as the Professor has prob- 

 ably never seen one growing. It prefers a light, well- 

 drained, sandy soil, sparsely covered with grass, usually 

 in company with various low-growing mosses and li- 

 chens. I have found them on the shores of Mobile Bay, 

 at an elevation of but a few feet above tidewater, and 

 also at Spring Hill, seven miles west of the city, at an 

 elevation of 210 feet, all showing the same habits and 

 characteristics. 



There are several authorities who are unwilling to en- 

 tirely admit that this is a distinct species, but after having 

 watched and examined dozens of living specimens of B. 

 biternatum and B. obliquum Tfind differences not noted 



