rocks, and among loose stones, in the north of England, Yorkshire and 
Wales; much more abundant in Scotland, especially in the Breadalbane and 
Clova districts ; rare in Ireland. 
It would be a comparatively easy task to describe the Ferns 
if all were as distinct and well marked as the present species. 
It belongs indeed to a small section of the Polystichum group, 
which has simply pinnated fronds, and is the smallest species of 
that group, with the shortest pinnae. It has probably -an ex¬ 
tensive range in the northern hemisphere, from Greenland (Disco, 
Dr. Lyall) in the north, south throughout Europe, to Switzer¬ 
land, Spain and Portugal, and Italy, Greece (Mount Olympus, 
Aucher-Eloi). Eastward we possess it from Davuria ( Turczani - 
now), and we have a well-marked specimen from the Paris Mu¬ 
seum, gathered by Jacquemont in north-western India, among 
woods of Birch, “ a Castres ad cacumina quae Pye Pundo.” In 
British North America it was gathered in the Rocky Mountains 
by Drummond\ where it is apparently rare; and in the United 
States, Michigan, “ probably in cold woods, near the northern 
lakes,” is the only locality recorded by Dr. Asa Gray. 
Plate 9. Aspidium (Polystichum) Lonchitis , Sw., fertile plant ,—natural size. 
Fig. I. Pinna, with sori,— magriijied. 2. Sorus, with involucre ,—more highly 
