THE FERNS OF GUERNSEY. 



A paper read by Mr, 0. T. Derrick, before the Guernsey 

 Natural Science Society, on November 14£A, 1882. 



Every locality in Great Britain and Ireland has been so 

 thoroughly searched for Ferns, that there seems little prospect 

 of any species having been overlooked, and those found in each 

 district are so accurately known, that trustworthy lists are 

 easily obtained. 



Ferns are found to abound in some districts and to be 

 comparatively rare in others ; —thus, they dislike chalk and as 

 a consequence are scarce in the east and south-east of England 

 they are much more numerous in limestone regions ; they 

 grow freely in the crevices of this rock ; and on the lower 

 slopes of steep limestone hills, where the side of the valley is 

 covered with loose stony masses, fallen from above, and afford- 

 ing no apparent hold for vegetation, the Limestone Polypody 

 ^P. Robertianum) shoots its rhizome through the peaty soil 

 beneath, and waves its green fronds over the white stones ; 

 ferns are even more abundant in sandstone and slate districts ; 

 and our experience in Guernsey proves that few rocks suit 

 them better than those of the Granite series, 



