bree’s fern. 
229 
The fern occurs plentifully in the neighbourhood of Penzance, 
growing in situations similar to those in which A. dilatatum is 
found. I have also met with it in several parts of Ireland, par- 
ticularly near Killarney, and have received plants of it from the 
celebrated cryptogamist, the late Mr. James Dickson, who pro- 
cured it from Sussex, and considered it as a distinct species. Like 
A. dilatatum^ it is a very variable species, the plant differing 
greatly in size according to the situation in which it grows : on 
very dry banks I have found perfect fructifying fronds not more 
than a few inches high.” ^ 
Sir W. Hooker, in the fourth edition of the ‘ British Flora,’ 
refers to this observation of Mr. Bree’s, but does not retain the 
plant even as a variety.-f 
In a paper on the Botany of Erris, published in the ‘ Ma- 
gazine of Zoology and Botany,’! Mr. Babington notices the 
occurrence of our fern in that district, and refers to Sir W. J. 
Hooker’s, but not Mr. Bree’s notice of the plant. The next 
notice occurs in a communication of my own to the ‘ Magazine 
of Natural History,’ which is in these words : — 
“The third form [of dilatatum~\ is short, less rigid and erect, 
bright pale green and concave, not simply as a frond, but every 
pinna and pinnule also concave ; this I believe to be the Aspi- 
diwn dumetorum of Mackay,§ the Asp. dilatatum var. concavum 
of Babington, and the Asp. spinulosum of the Botanic Garden at 
Belfast, &c. This form is far more distinct and constant than 
any variety we possess in England.” || 
Subsequently to the publication of this passage, I received the 
following note from Mr. Moore of Dublin. “ On my way hither 
I called at the Liverpool Botanic Garden, where Mr. Shepherd 
showed me the identical plant which Sir James Smith described 
his Aspidium dumetorum from, and I can without the least 
hesitation pronounce it to be the Aspidium concavum of Ba- 
bington, which fact I thought might be interesting to you. I 
consider Babington’s name a good one, and likely to assist much 
* Mag. Nat. Hist. iv. 162. f Brit. Flor. 386, ed. 4. 
|Mag. Zool. and Bot. ii. 119. 
§ Flor. Hibern. 341. Mr. Mackay has since assured me I am correct in this. 
11 Mag. Nat. Hist. n. s. iii. 551. 
