FERNY RAMBLES IN SOUTH DEVON. 
93 
wort, growing together on bridge sides. But the 
specimens of Hartstongue are invariably diminu¬ 
tive when growing on walls, rocks, or bridge 
arches. The Black Maidenhair Spleenwort, un¬ 
questionably one of the most beautiful of the 
Fern family, is also usually found to be stunted 
when growing on the bare open side of a rock, 
wall, or bridge arch. It nevertheless delights in 
stones; but then the stones and rocks must be in 
the shade, and covered by overhanging bushes. 
A little way from the stone bridge already men¬ 
tioned, on the road between Totnes and Ash¬ 
burton, in the slate-rock side of a hedge-bank, we 
caught sight of a tuft of the Black Maidenhair 
Spleenwort, growing in a conspicuous position. 
We felt persuaded that other specimens would be 
near. One portion of the slate rock was hidden by 
bushes that closed over it. Pressing these on 
one side, we found, as we had expected, an un¬ 
usually fine plant of our Spleenwort, its roots 
being firmly imbedded in the layers of slate-rock, 
which were kept cool and moist by the shelter of 
the bushes. Where this Fern abounds you will 
always find the largest and most luxuriant speci- 
