Asplenium 
225 
fern, of a larger and more luxuriant growth than I had 
ever seen — a bridal veil of light-green lacework. Fur- 
ther down I caught sight of the little round leaves of 
Pellaca rotundifolia and a few ethereal-looking fronds 
of Pteris tremula; altogether an entrancing picture be- 
yond the power of words to describe. After feasting my 
eyes for several minutes, I raised my head to look round; 
the contrast could not have been greater — a scanty turf, 
black rocks, a few coarse bushes of ink-weed ! 
It filled me with wonder to think of this fairy grotto 
within a few miles of a large city containing thousands 
of wanton hands that would have ravaged and despoiled 
it of its treasures did they but know of its existence. 
Was I the first to appreciate the beauty of those fragile 
fronds, clothing the moss-grown rocks with radiating 
sprays — one of Nature’s masterpieces? The boy had 
certainly seen the grotto first, but he regarded it only 
with disfavour, having made the discovery by falling in 
and bruising his shins when driving home the cows. 
Nature, with her scorn for vulgar advertisement and 
her prodigality of superlative workmanship, taught me a 
lesson. Had I created anything only a thousandth part 
as beautiful, instead of hiding it away with a chaste re- 
serve, I should have brought all my friends to admire. 
The boy urged me to climb down and help myself, he 
could not understand my forbearance, my disinclination 
to mar such perfection. 
The species is found also in temperate Australia and 
Tasmania. 
