40 



A TERK BOOK POR EVERYBODY. 



shaped, and cleft nearly to the base in four or five seg« 

 ments. 



THI^ 0SMX7ND FJEBNS. 



Spore-cases clustered upon the branched and contracted upper portion 

 of an otherwise barren frond. 



The name of Osmunda, given to this genus of ferns by 

 botanists, is said to have had its origin in a romance, 

 having for its hero ^' the waterman Osmund of Loch 

 Tyne," who hid his family from the Danes in an island 

 covered with the Eoyal Tern. 



Technically, these ferns differ from the Moonworts in 

 their mode of development, for the young fronds unfold 

 in a spiral manner, as in the majority of ferns ; also in 

 the branched clusters of spore-cases forming the upper 

 portion of an otherwise leafy frond. 



These ferns are only represented in the British Isles by 

 one species. Several other species occur in North America 

 and other parts of the world. Because we have only one 

 Moonwort, and one kind of Osmund Pern, it must not 

 be supposed that there are no others. There are people 

 in the world who are apt to forget this, and, jumping to 

 hasty conclusions, condemn the botanist for keeping a 

 separate genus of ferns for one Moonwort, and one Os- 

 mund, and one Jersey Pern, and one E^llarney Eern, as 

 if these insignificant little islands were the whole world, 

 and contained all the ferns that are in existence. 



EOTAL FEEN.^ 



This kingly fern is the most majestic of British species, 

 and to say that it is well deserving of its name is only 

 io repeat what every one has affirmed who has written on 

 the subject. We have seen it growing luxuriantly, so 

 that a tall man with his hat on was completely obscured 

 when walking amoDgst it, and one on horseback could 

 only comfortably overlook the little forest. Commonly 



* Osmunda regalis, L, 



