THE BUCKLER FERN'S. 
recognizable. There is farther an unmistakable 
mark of recognition in the form of its fronds. 
About these there is a sort of general resemblance 
to the Male Fern, except in one particular. In 
the Male Fern the frond tapers to a point upwards ; 
but not in the opposite direction, although the 
branches at the base of the frond are usually 
a little shorter than those in the centre. But the 
branches of the frond in the Mountain Buckler 
Fern taper downwards towards the base, almost 
as much as they taper upwards ; the branches in 
the lowest part being nothing more than the tiniest 
leaf}^ excrescences on each side of the racliis. 
This continuation of the leafy portion of the frond 
downwards necessarily leaves but a very short 
stipes to the Mountain Buckler Fern ; and this short 
stipes is covered with golden-coloured scales. On 
the rachis of the frond in this Fern, the branches 
are placed on each side in pairs. Each branch 
has a row of lobes on its upper and under side, 
dearly divided from each other, but not divided 
quite down to the mid-stem of the branch. The 
branches, which are narrowly lance-shaped, have 
thus the appearance of being very deeply notched 
