74 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
taken possession of the ground, and have given 
an indescribably graceful aspect to the strewn 
boulders. Reaching the top of the Cleave, after 
a toilsome ascent, we made for the Logan, or 
Nutcracker Rock. Near this rock, peering into 
the stony crevices, we made a pleasing discovery. 
We found in one of the interstices, between the 
gigantic masses of granite which cover the hill- 
top, several specimens of the rare Lanceolate 
Spleenwort. They were growing in one little 
cluster, and in the dark shadow of their retreat 
we could not at first be sure that they were 
not the beautiful but common Black Maidenhair 
Spleenwort. We knew, however, that from the 
position in which they were growing, it was quite 
possible that they might be Asplenium lanceo- 
latwn. With the aid of a long stick, we succeeded 
in digging them out ; and a close examination 
at once gave proof that the plants we had dis- 
covered were what we had hoped they would 
prove to be. The fronds of the Black Maidenhair 
Spleenwort are always broadest at their base, nar- 
rowing gradually towards their apex, the spores 
