96 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
descends, Dartington Wood rising high on the 
right, and a low thicket spreading away to the 
left, nnder the moist shadow of which some of the 
commoner kinds of Ferns grow plentifully. Lower 
still goes our road, whilst trees on each side rise 
higher and higher, overlapping at the tops. In a 
few minutes we emerge from their shadows on 
to Staverton Bridge, and the lovely scene changes 
once more. Here the stream of the beautiful 
Dart darkly and quietly flows under the curious 
old arches of the bridge. In midstream, on the 
left, there is an islet clothed with dwarfed shrubs. 
Over an upland on the left bank of the river, 
trees sweep gracefully down to the water’s surface. 
The Dart is seen in this direction only for a short 
distance before it winds away on its course. From 
the point where it is lost to view the eye delight¬ 
edly roams over the hills which bound the horizon. 
On the ivy covered sides of Staverton Bridge 
may be found many fine specimens of the beauti¬ 
ful Scaly Spleenwort, the larger ones placed, 
however, where they are somewhat difficult to 
obtain, without some amount of skilful manage¬ 
ment. The pretty little Wall Hue is also to be 
