144 
HISTORY OF BRITISH FERNS. 
old wall at Tooting, a wall near Petersfield, and rocks near 
Stonehaven. Bearing in mind the circumstantial records 
of its discovery by the older botanists, and considering that 
it is a very small plant, and that the places where it would 
be most likely to occur are generally the most inaccessible, 
and, therefore, the least likely to be searched,—consider¬ 
ing, moreover, the many probable localities which exist, 
and have not been carefully explored by any keen botanical 
eye, it is a fair presumption that the plant is really indi¬ 
genous, though, from these causes, it has been overlooked. 
While so many probabilities exist in favour of its being 
native, we are not justified in rejecting the statements 
which the older botanists have left us. 
This species is too rare to be often trusted on rockwork, 
unless where every provision, such as shade, shelter, and 
moisture, has been made for it; but planted in a well- 
drained pot, and kept in a close cold frame, or in a damp 
hothouse, it grows freely, becoming much more vigorous 
under the influence of heat. 
The other names which have been given to this Fern 
are these: —A spidium fontanum , A thyrium fontanum, 
Polypodium fontanum, and A spidium Halleri . 
