THE FERN PARADISE. 
completely hidden by a thick drapery of densely 
packed reddish-brown scales. These beautiful 
scales extend to every part of the back of the 
frond, covering up midrib and pinnule, and 
affording a snug hiding-place for the spore-cases. 
The fronds grow in tufts from a central crown, 
and are always most luxuriant w r hen found at the 
top of walls, under the shelter of overhanging 
trees. 
Well do we remember the pleasure we ex- 
perienced on finding, after a long search, our first 
specimens of the Scale Fern. We had previously 
read the description of this beautiful species, and 
had seen the coloured representations of it ; but 
had never happened to set eyes on the living plant, 
either in a wild or cultivated state. We, there- 
fore, started in our first search for the wild plant 
from Totnes in the direction of Berry Pomeroy 
Castle, — having been assured that we should find 
some specimens on an old wall which skirted the 
wood surrounding the Castle. We were some 
time in finding the old wall in question ; but we 
at length lighted upon it. Carefully we searched 
on both sides for some distance, but without en- 
