JULY. 
155 
specimen was only a baby ‘ Filix-foemina; ’ and tlien be added bow troublesome 
baby Ferns always were, and that one could not easily decide on a Fern unless 
there was fructification. I might hunt for varieties of Filix-mas and foemina, but 
he thought I should find nothing else. Then he discoursed of Ferns in general 
and of Fern-hunters, how he found ladies looking for Septentrionale in a wood, 
for Ceterach in a ditch, and for Asplenium viride on a wall. 1 1 do,’ said I. ’ 
“ ‘ It is a pity to waste time,’ he answered. ‘ Find out the whereabouts before 
you search. Know what you are likely to find, and then take anything strange 
you meet with.’ And so it came to pass, I only brought away from Inversnaid a 
few young plants of Oreopteris and a Lycopodium or two ; but I took to more 
diligent readings of Moore, and wished there had been a few simple directions as 
to the ‘ how’ of finding Ferns. 
“ Of course we made the tour of Loch Lomond in the steamer, which was 
filled with a strange mass of human beings bent on pleasure—the geologist with 
his hammer, the young girl with her sketch-book, the botanist with a round tin at 
his back, the pedestrian with his knapsack. For five minutes we scanned each 
other, and then turned our attention to the scenery. It was a glorious day—a day 
of strongest lights and shadow-s—a day of sun and cloud; and I could scarcely 
fancy any luxury greater than lying down on a sofa of plaids, and sailing through 
this beautiful world of waters—cut off, as it seemed to be, from any outer world 
by high frowning mountains, bv steep shaggy rocks—every minute the scene 
changing, bold rugged Bens melting away into bright green islands, and these 
into a far-off distance of more gentle outline. Looking from side to side as you 
approach Inverarnon, you came to a hill covered with Firs, some standing, many 
tallen, and already ‘ barked.’ A picturesque group of women in red petticoats 
and white jackets are seated by a picnic fire cooking; these are the £ barkers,’ who 
live in rough huts built about the wood during their season of work, and vividly 
remind one of the Olive gatherers in the Olive woods of Sardinia. 
££ From the head of Loch Lomond a coach conveys you over the Black Mountain 
and through the awful pass of Glencoe to the hotel of Banavie at the foot of Ben 
Nevis, where I was assured I should undoubtedly find Polystichum lonchitis ; and 
up the mountain sides I tramped many a weary mile in the search, now scramb¬ 
ling up a rocky path, now floundering in a bog—but no lonchitis. Indeed, I may 
here own that I have never found one plant of this most interesting Fern. 
£ Lonchitidioides’ I have found in plenty, and some bearing such close resemblance 
to lonchitis as for a time to create a doubt even in the mind of Mr. Bree ; but 
the doubt cannot last very long, for I have proved the fact that lonchitidioides in 
time becomes lobatum, and after a while lobatum becomes P. aculeatum. I have 
watched the plants changing from year to year, and have had many an argument 
about it; but each Fern-grower can prove it for himself in three or four years. 
££ I have one large plant of true lonchitis, which I bought at a small nursery 
without being able to trace its history, and from which I have this autumn 
divided three young plants. There is one feature in lonchitis which entirely 
divides it from lonchitidioides—the pinnules, even in the tiniest frond, lap over 
each other like the scales on a fish’s back ; each pinnule is furnished with sharp 
teeth, with a projection like an ear close to the rachis, which is covered with 
brown scales ; the fronds grow stiff and erect, and its whole formation gives one 
the idea of protection from wet. The fronds spring from the centre, several sets 
of them during the summer, the whole preserving a compact vase-like form. 
During the extreme heat of summer, after watering the Ferns, I made a practice 
of pouring a little water into the cup of the plant, thinking to encourage the new 
fronds. After some time I observed a little frond quite perfect, yet very small, 
sj^read itself like a guard over the nest of young fronds. I gave up my system 
of encouragement, and, instead, threw a little cocoa-nut refuse into the centre of 
the cup as a protection ; and this has answered beautifully, and the plant has 
thirty fronds on it of this year’s growth, but the long-continued drought has 
caused these to be less fine than usual. 
<£ In the wooded dells at the foot of Ben Nevis I found the Pyrola, whose pretty 
bell-like blossoms of white with a rosy flush were as fragrant as Lilies of the 
Vaile} 7 . I brought several plants away, but failed to make them grow. 
