FLOWERING FERN, 
333 
on the banks of Loch Fyne, where its habit is comparatively 
rigid and erect, as represented in the accompanying figure, I 
have measured fronds eight feet 
in length. In the bogs of Lan- 
cashire it is abundant but less 
luxuriant, and it occurs not 
uncommonly in all the northern 
counties of England ; it is also 
of frequent occurrence in North 
and South Wales, Cornwall and 
Devonshire, and is scattered in 
hundreds of localities through- 
out the southern counties ap- 
proaching the vicinity of Lon- 
don, on Epping forest, and 
Keston heath. 
Gerarde says “ it groweth in 
the midst of a bog at the fur- 
ther end of Hampsted heath 
from London, at the bottome 
of a hill, adjoyning to a small 
cottage, and in divers other pla- 
ces, as also vpon divers bogges 
on a heath or a common neere 
vntoBruntwoodin Essex, espe- 
cially neere vnto a place there 
that some have digged to the 
end to finde a nest or mine of 
gold ; but the birds were ouer 
fledge, and flowne away before 
their wings could be clipped.”'^ 
In the eastern and midland 
counties it may be considered 
more rare. The following remarks on the distribution of Os- 
munda regalis are from the pen of Mr. Watson. “ Here the 
distribution of an order is that of a single species only, the Os- 
* Ger. Em. 1132. 
r 
