XXXI V 
European Ferns. 
becoming, or have become, popular. A handy little book, by Mr. John Williamson, on 
the “ Ferns of Kentucky” was published in 1878, and claims to be the first popular handbook 
on the native ferns of America. From its preface we gather that fern-collecting has become 
an American institution, for Mr. Williamson says — “Who would think now of going to 
the country to spend a few days, or even one day, without first inquiring whether ferns 
are to be found in the locality?” We are not aware of any descriptive work having 
exactly the same limits as that upon which we are now engaged ; there exists no complete 
descriptive catalogue of the plants of the whole of Europe. Indeed, it may be stated 
that we have not even a complete list of European plants,, although this want is in a fair way 
to be supplied by the publication (commenced in 1878) of Prof. Nyman’s “ Conspectus Florae 
Europaeae,” which will contain a full enumeration, with synonymy and geographical distribution, 
of all the species occurring in Europe. With regard to ferns, however, the nearest approach 
to a volume confined to the European species is offered by Dr. Milde’s “ Filices Europae et 
Atlantidis, Asiae Minoris et Sibirim,” published in 1867. This is in every respect an admirable 
book ; but — as will be seen from its title — it is more comprehensive than the present work, and 
that not only in the geographical range of which it takes cognisance, but also the plants which 
it includes ; for, besides the true ferns, it takes in the Horsetails ( Equiseta ) and Club-mosses 
(. Lycopodiacece ). It is written entirely in Latin, and is purely technical in its phraseology and 
details, so that it would not be of practical value except to the scientific botanist ; but it is a 
most accurate and trustworthy work, the author having apparently had access to specimens 
gathered by the principal European collectors, as well as an extensive experience of the 
ferns themselves in a growing state. The synonymy is worked out with great care and 
completeness ; figures of each species are cited, while the geographical distribution has 
received special attention. A large number of forms and varieties are described for the first 
time in Dr. Milde’s pages, and the work is one which is absolutely essential to any one 
desiring to make a thorough acquaintance with the ferns of Europe. The following practical 
hint as to the examination of dried fronds we translate freely for the benefit of our readers : — 
“ I have used the following mode of examining dried ferns, which I would recommend to 
all who are beginning the study : I have placed a fragment of a pinna well furnished 
with sori in warm water until it became soft, and in a manner revived. The indusia as 
well as their covering, and also that of the blade can then be very readily perceived, as also 
the nervation.” 
It would obviously be impossible, even if it were desirable, to attempt to give in a 
work such as the present anything like an epitome of what has been written upon ferns 
in general ; but it may be worth while to glance briefly at a few of the more important of 
those which have been published in this country, and are thus readily accessible to English 
readers, as well as at the best of the books which have been written upon British ferns in 
particular; and to give a few details regarding some of the authors upon the subject, especially 
as so large a proportion of the ferns of Europe is found in these islands. 
The first book specially devoted to British ferns was James Bolton’s handsomely printed 
“Filices Britannicae : an History of the British Proper Ferns,” which appeared in two parts — the 
first, printed at Leeds, in 1785 ; the second, at Huddersfield, in 1790. These form a quarto 
volume, containing eighty-one pages of letterpress, and forty-six coloured plates, which are 
fairly accurate, although rather feeble and scarcely giving an adequate notion of the plants 
represented. One of the most interesting features of the book is the account which it gives of the 
discovery of the Killarncy Fern ( Trichomanes radicans ) at Bellbank, near Bingley, where Bolton 
