X 
PREFACE 
once so fascinating ancl so well calculated to create a 
passion for further researches in so delightful a field as is the 
study of Ferns. 
Although the descriptions of Ferns given in Part Y. of 
this work have been restricted to the British species of these 
beautiful though flowerless plants, it must be remembered 
that the same species are widely distributed over the world 
— occurring, amongst other places, more or less, throughout 
America and the English-speaking dependencies of the British 
Empire. Of the fifty species of Ferns, for instance, which 
are inhabitants of the United States of America, no less than 
sixteen, or about one-third, are also natives of Britain. 
Canada also includes a considerable proportion of British 
Ferns amongst its Cryptogamic flora ; and throughout the 
whole of North America are to be found no less than thirty 
of our forty-five British species. One half, too, at least, 
of our British Ferns are to be found in the Himalayan 
Mountains. If we turn to the antipodean range of the Fern 
world, we find that New Zealand, with its glorious wealth of 
Fern life, contains a not inconsiderable number of the 
British species ; and it is worthy of especial remark that both 
Britain and New Zealand are the richest in Ferns in their 
respective latitudes. The Author trusts, therefore, that 
Section V., no less than the sections of the volume which 
relate to the whole world of Ferns, may possess an interest 
for English readers beyond the narrow limits of the British 
Islands. 
In furtherance of the twofold object of The Fern II ~orld, 
the Author, whilst he has striven to include in the volume 
much that is of interest in connexion with the subject of 
which it treats, has sought — at every step — to refer those 
who may follow him through its pages to the unfailing 
guidance of that wonderful and beautiful Book — the Book of 
Nature. 
