FEJIXS -VXD MOSSES. 41 
papilionaceous or pea tribe, a pent-house, formed of fragrant 
petals, protects the capsules from wind or rain. In the 
family of ferns, their seeds are placed either in spots or lines, 
and have, undoubtedly, regard to windy growing -places, on 
rocks or ruins, or open heaths where the species congregate. 
Though neither historic nor poetic associations are 
awakened in the mind of him who gathers the long, slender 
fern-leaf hear you not the voices of young children calling 
eagerly to one another ? " Look ! look !" say they, " what 
is that brownish green ball among the primroses ?" and then, 
regardless of torn pinafores or wet feet, they scramble up 
the dripping or stony banks, among brambles and dog-roses, 
and in their eagerness too often spoil the desired prize. The 
ball itself is beautiful ; and those who love to watch the 
gradual expanding of leaves and flowers observe with plea- 
sure, that not only are the leaves rolled together, but the 
leaflets also. Remove one of the leaflets carefully, and you 
will discover on the back two white lines, extending from 
the base to the point, bordered with green, and depressed in 
the middle. These white lines are delicate membranes, 
containing minute pellucid bodies, supported on foot- stalks. 
High magnifiers, moreover, discover small bodies of a 
brownish cast on the youngest leaflets. They consist of 
two parts : the' one, very slender and pellucid, proceeding 
from the rib ; the other, a coloured oval-shaped ball, stand- 
ing upon it. "When the leaflets are fully unfolded, the rib 
becomes more turgid, and the globules disappear. 
The Rock Brake, or Parsley-leaved fern, is found on 
rocks, and heaths, and old walls, especially in the northern 
counties. Tourists to Borrowdale, Cader Idris, and the 
Highlands of Scotland, may meet with this pleasing fern in 
many of their favourite haunts. It generally rises to the 
height of about four or five inches, and, when growing plen- 
tifully, its bright green leaves present a cheerful contrast to 
the lichen-dotted and dark weather-beaten masses of rock 
to which it clings. Though found occasionally in the ere- 
