372 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



H. A., Borobridge. — The insects in one of the 

 boxes had got loose, and broken each other, 

 so that we could not assign all to their own 

 numbers, those that had retained their 

 places are as follows : — i Scopula olivalis, 2 

 Laventia didymata (male), 3 Pionea forticalis, 

 3 Scoparia mercurealis, 4 Antithesia ' cynosbatella, 

 7 Emmelesia decolorata, 10 Ypsipetes elutata, 12 

 Scopula lutealis. Nos. 2, 7, and 10 are 

 geometers, 4 is a Tortrix, and the rest 

 belong to the Pyrales. 



E. A. Bryans, Sandbach. — The animal sent 

 out of your aquarium, and which you have 

 not been able to rear, is the larva stage of 

 a water beetle — Acilius sulcatus. 



We should be obliged if parties who have not 

 sent their subscriptions for Vol. 1 would do 

 so at once. 



EXCHANGE. 



I have larvae of Chserocampa Elpenor for 

 exchange. I shall be glad of good moths. — 

 F. Kerry, Harwich, Essex. 



Full fed larva? of H. pisi, for others. — A. 

 Bramwell, Prior Street, Gateshead-on-Tyne. 



BRITISH FERNS. 



By H. Andrews, Carnberwell. 



Lastrea Dilutata (Broad Buckler Fern), 

 grows with a tufted stock, always more or less 

 drooping and from 1 to 3 feet high. The fronds 

 are ovate — lanceolate in form, and vary very 

 much according to aspect and condition, some- 

 times becoming narrowly lanceolate, and 

 sometimes broadly lanceolate. The stipes is 

 very thickly covered with dark brown scales. 

 The fronds are bipinnate, the pinnae pinnate, 

 and pinnules oblong-ovate. Sori are abundant 

 and ranged in two lines covered by reniform 

 indusia. Fronds appear in May. Found in 

 damp shady hedgebanks, and woods. There 

 are several varieties. 

 Lastrea Triangula or L. Recurvia 



(Triangular Buckler Fern or Hay Fern.) This 

 elegant drooping fern has a crisped appearance, 

 from the recurving of the segments of the fronds. 

 It grows from 1 to 2 feet high, in a circular 

 m anner and of a tr angular form. The stipes 1 

 is covered with small p'Je-colored scales. 

 T:ie fronds are biy innate, i.he lowest pair of 

 pinnae always longer and larger than the rest, 

 and the pinnules oblony-ovate. Sori are 

 placed in two lines along each pinnae or lobe 1 

 covered by reniform indusia, and evenly 

 distributed. Fronds make their appearance 

 early in May. Found in damp woods, and I 

 on shady banks and rocks. 



Lastrea Crstata (Crested Buckler 

 Fern). This plant from which a few upright 

 fronds appear, grows from 1 to 2 feet high. The 

 fronds are linear-oblong. The stipes are 

 rather long, with blunt ovate scales of a light 

 brown color. The pinnae are elongate trian- 

 gular, and the pinnae ovate-oblong. The sori 

 are covered with a reniform indusia, having 

 an entire margin. Fronds spring up in May. 

 Found in marshy places and damp woods. 

 There are two varieties. 



Lastrea, FeLx-mas (Common Buckler 

 or Male Fern). — The male fern is a robust- 

 growing plant, and produces its fronds in a 

 tuft around a crown. The stipes is densely 

 scaly. The fronds grow from 3 to 4 ft. high, 

 and are broadly k.nce-shaped, and bipinnate. 

 The pinnae are narrow and tapering, and the 

 pinnules of an obtusely oblong form, and 

 serrated margin. Sori are crowded, but 

 confined to lower half of pinnules ; they are! 

 lead-colored, reniform, with indusia. Fronds | 

 appear in May. 



Lastrea Felix Mas var. Cristata is a hand-j 

 some variety with the points of the frond and ; 

 pinnae dilated into tassel-like expansions. Thejj 

 nale fern is fou id in shady places, and is j 

 nost commonly distributed all over the; 

 country. There are 18 varieties. 



Sub-Gr iup 3, Asplenicae. 

 Ferns whose sori have indusia of an oblong j 

 or elongated form, and spring from the sidea 

 of the veins. 



