THE OBLONG WOODSIA 
305 
eacli year — for this Fern is a deciduous species, its fronds 
disappearing on the approach of winter — they drop off, not 
as in most Ferns at tire point of junction of the stem with 
the crown of the rootstock, but at the point of articulation, 
thus leaving a little cluster of short bare stems standing up. 
The normal form of 1 Voodsia ilorasis is subject to no variety. 
Distribution. — In Europe the range of this little Fern 
extends to the following countries : — Denmark, France, 
Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lapland, Norway, Russia, 
Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. In Asia it has been found 
in Kamtschatka and Siberia. It is also an inhabitant of the 
extreme north of North America, of Canada, and of the 
United States. In England it is extremely rare. It has 
been discovered in Cumberland ; on Cauldron Snout, and 
Falcon Clints, Teesdale, in the county of Durham — near 
Cauldron Snout, growing upon some basaltic rocks; also in 
the lake district of Westmoreland. In Scotland the habitats 
of this Fern are slightly more numerous. I11 Dumfriesshire, 
one habitat is in a ravine near Loch Skene ; another is at a 
place called the Devil’s Beef-tub ; others are upon the hills 
north of Moffatt in that county, upon a farm called Corehead 
about four miles from Moffatt. It is abundant on the hills 
which divide Dumfriesshire and the county of Peebles, the 
situation being upon steep and crumbling rocks. Other 
North Britain habitats are Glen Fiadh, amongst the Clova 
Mountains in Forfarshire, near Forres in Morayshire, on Ben 
Chonzie near Creiflf, and on Ben Lawers in Perthshire. In 
North Wales its habitats are at Clogwvn-y-Garnedd, on some 
rocks in the vicinity of a small lake called the Dog’s Lake, or 
in Welsh Llyn-y-Cwm, going up towards Glyder Vawr. A 
considerable number of plants are known to exist there, but 
they are inaccessible except to those who may come to seek 
them provided with a ladder. From the fact that the natural 
habitats of this Fern are so frequently found to be inaccessible, 
