282 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
green, and in the deepest gorge of the valley 
the beautiful Dart, its winding course—where 
the glancing water was hidden from view—shown 
by the taller forms and the darker shade of the 
trees on its banks ! A few moments more, and 
we have, in following our narrow path, lost the 
outside view. We are now, in fact, away from 
the sunlight, and under the shade of the tall 
and graceful trees of a coppice. Oh, delightful 
coolness ! Beneath our feet soft velvety turf of 
glorious golden green. Above, the tall tree-tops 
screening the sunlight and checkering the blue 
sky. 
But the Osmunda—the stately, the beautiful 
Osmunda ! We are close upon its habitat. The 
Fern abounds in lovely Devonshire, and fringes 
the banks of the Dart, and we are now within 
sight of that river. We turn from the coppice 
along a narrow winding path, and as we proceed 
onward the sound of rushing water strikes on our 
ear. Now screening branches deepen the shadows 
on our way, until presently the light comes in 
upon our path through the tangled shrubs on our 
right. Putting these on one side and brushing 
