CYSTOPTERIS ALPINA. 99 
about one-third of its whole length ; and is smooth 
except at the base, where a few brown pointed scales 
occur. 
The fructification is near the edge of the lobe, and 
consists of very copious masses of little bladders, small, 
scattered, not crowded at any time, and pale brownish 
coloured. Whilst in a young state each mass is wrapped 
in a white, membranous, concave cover, ending in a 
tape ring jagged point; thus nearly resembling Cystopterii 
fragilis, but the fructification is in smaller masses than 
those of that species, nor are the spores ever black as in 
that species, but are pale brown. 
This is a Fern very rarely found in Great Britain ; so 
rarely, indeed, that many Botanists have doubted, we 
think on insufficient grounds, its title to a place among 
our native plants. 
Mr. Lhwyd first discovered it on Snowdon, as an 
xiounced in the second edition of Ray's Synopsis, in 
1896 ; Mr. Griffiths found it on Cwm Idwell in Wales; 
Mr. W. Christy found it on rocks at the dropping well 
of Knaresborough ; Hooker states, on the authority of 
Mr. Maughan, that it was found on Ben Lawers in 
Scotland; Mr. Shepherd, of Liverpool, sent specimens 
to Mr. Moore, which specimens, he stated, were "gathered 
in Derbyshire and Yorkshire, but without assigning 
more particular habitats." Mr. Foster found it at Low 
Layton in Essex, and announced his discovery in 
Symon's Synopsis, some time in the year 1793. It has 
been found at the same place by Mr. W. Famplin in 
1835, and by Mr. E. H. Bolton in 1840. 
