48 



The 1?erns 



pare this with other places we should have a complete list of 

 those to be found in some confined area. I have no other list 

 except Professor Ansted's for J ersey and Guernsey ; he gives 

 eighteen species as natives of Jersey, nineteen of Guernsey. 

 I myself have gathered in Devonshire, during about four 

 weeks' stay, seventeen species, and in Ireland in a fortnight 

 fifteen : in both cases these numbers might have been increased 

 by special search for particular kinds, or if one had availed 

 himself of local help : for instance, at Killarney, an offer was 

 made to show me for a consideration the Killarney speciality : — 

 Trichomanes radicans, growing in its native habitat, but I 

 declined the offer with thauks ; the plant is so rare that it 

 would have been wrong to remove a root, even supposing 

 my guide had included that privilege in his bargain ; there 

 was the further doubt of its reaching Guernsey in good con- 

 dition, aud the difficulty of getting it to flourish even should 

 it reach its destination. 



Guernsey, considering its small area, seems to bear com- 

 parison with these favoured districts as far as number of 

 species are concerned. But one of the most charming sights 

 to a lover of ferns is missing in Guernsey, viz. : a whole valley 

 filled with species other than bracken. How delightful it is to 

 stand on the top of a hill overlooking valleys like those at 

 Petit Bot Bay, and see below, both slopes of the hills covered 

 with the greenery of ferns ; the golden tinted Mountain Fern 

 (Lastrea Montana) high up the valley gradually giving place 

 to the Broad buckler, Lady and Male ferns. Neither have we 

 the waters of mountain torrents dashing and brawling in 

 mimic whirlpools, cascades, and waterfalls amidst immense 

 boulders of rock throwing into relief the tufts of tall feathery 

 ferns spreading fanlike from their central crowns springing 

 from every spot raised above the raging waters, while the 

 banks crowded with similar luxuriant growth, form a beautiful 

 frame to the picture. 



