of Guernsey. 



57 



wholesale until almost exterminated. There is only one place 

 where more than a dozen plants can now be found, another 

 where three plants exist. Altogether I know still of six 

 stations where it occurs wild, and fortunately one or two of 

 them are jealously guarded by the owners. Mr. Smith, of the 

 Caledonia Nursery, has been good enough to give me three 

 roots to plant out, if these establish themselves, we shall add 

 two stations to our list. 



16. Ophioglossum Vulgatum or the Common Adder's 

 tongue, is unlike all the preceding, being a common and 

 uninteresting-looking plant. Consequently it is less sought 

 after, and few know where to find it. I was shown a specimen 

 with the earth attached just as it had been dug from its native 

 spot. A glance at the soil and a knowledge that it inhabits 

 marshy places were indications sufficient to direct me straight 

 to a spot where I found it growing abundantly. It is an 

 unattractive plant ; it grows in uninviting situations, among 

 the grass of marshy fields and is to be found all along the 

 strip of damp meadows inside our north-western barrier, the 

 pebble ridge which carries the coast road from the Vale 

 Church to Pleinmont. 



Last and least in point of size, but almost unequalled in 

 interest, we have the 



17. Ophioglossum Lusitanicum, or Dwarf Adder's Tongue. 

 This is the Guernsey speciality; it was discovered here in 

 1854 by Mr. G. Wolsey. It is not found in Great Britain or 

 Ireland, though it is doubtfully reported from Cornwall lately. 

 Most authorities on the subject say that it is not found nearer 

 us than the shores of the Mediterranean, yet I read in " All 

 the Year Bound," that it is often found in Brittany. It 

 has not been observed in any other of the Channel Islands, 

 excepting Sark, which is doubtful. 



In Guernsey it is local, there are two distinct districts for 

 it with more than a mile of cliff between destitute (as far as 

 D 



