THE EERNY MOORLANDS. 
nothing in grandeur, as the dimness of distance 
causes it to melt away in shadowy outlines. Now 
the eye rests on the graceful scenery which lies 
immediately contiguous to the path — huge boul- 
ders scattered about on each side, clothed with 
moss and Ferns ; rugged hedge-banks formed of 
slate rock and red sandstone teeming with Fern- 
life ; slopes of furze and heather intermingled 
with wild flowers. Now the path descends the 
hill-side and lights on and traverses a glade 
strewn with boulders of all sizes and shapes, 
forming a natural rockery, and giving congenial 
shelter to the roots of Bracken, whose tall fronds 
are spread out with a wild grace which no word- 
painting can adequately represent. 
Along the route which we have indicated the 
Fern hunter may find, in charming variety, the 
Common Polypody, the Soft Prickly Shield Fern, 
the Male Fern, the Broad Buckler Fern, the Lady 
Fern, the Black Maidenhair Spleen wort, the 
Hartstongue, and the Hard Fern. 
Few scenes can be more magnificent than the 
view which is to be obtained shortly after com- 
mencing the descent — a mile in length — which 
ii 7 
