PEEK'S! teens!! 



5 



forked manner, each fork being again divided into second- 

 ary forks. This regular forking of the veins of the leaf 

 is a great assistance in determining whether any unknown 

 leaf belongs to a fern or not. (Fig. 1.) 



By comparing the leaf of any known fern with that of 

 a tree, or a common herbaceous plant, the difference of 

 type in the venation, or arrangement of veins, will be 

 evident. There is one other distinction which may be 

 indicated as aftbrding additional aid in determining a fern 

 from any other plant. "When the leaves, or fronds, of a 

 fern first make their appearance, and unfold above the 



Fig, 1. Fig. 2. 



soil, their method of doing so is peculiarly characteristic. 

 The upper portion of the leaf is coiled inwards like a 

 watch-spring, and as it unfolds, the coils loosen or unwind, 

 and present the appearance indicated in our woodcut. 

 (Kg. 2.) 



Such a mode of unfolding of the leaf is confined chiefly 

 to ferns, and there are only two or three of the British 

 species which do not unroll in this manner. Hence we 

 may observe that, in bearing the seeds on the back or edge 

 of the leaf, in having the veins of the leaves regularly 

 forked, and in the young leaves unfolding in a spiral 

 manner, ferns difi'er from other plants, and by these 

 fc itures may be readily distinguished. 



