CHAPTER IV. 
CLASSIFICATION OF FERNS. 
NOMENCLATURE AND ARRANGEMENT : In what sense important—Characters employed 
for generic distinctions— Venation as a generic character—Mr. Smith's proposed 
arrangement: Eremobrya and Desmobrya—Their peculiar structure— Mr. 
Newman's scheme— The principal groups of Ferns, and their characteristies— 
Classification proposed to be adopted. 
Tuis is a most important branch of our subject; for without 
something like a correct notion of the principles and the characters 
on which the classification of Ferns is founded, it is impossible to 
have more than a vague and uncertain knowledge of their nomen- 
clature. The species of Ferns inhabiting Great Britain being few 
in number, they afford but little aid in illustrating the principles 
on which pteridologists depend in the naming and arrangement of 
the Fern family; so that to give an intelligible view of the subject, 
we must briefly sketch the classification of Ferns in general. 
Though in some sense important, the Nomenclature or naming, 
whether scientific or popular, of natural objects, has, it is always 
to be remembered, no other value than that of enabling different 
observers to recognise the same objects, and to impart to each other 
information respecting them; and Arrangement or Classification 
has no other importance than that of facilitating these objects. 
Hence, it is as a means to an end, that we refer to classification as 
an important branch of our subject, that end being the identifica- 
tion of genera and species, the main object of such identification 
being the intercommunication of information concerning them. It 
is not for a moment to be supposed, that the mere naming and 
the classifying of the objects which engage the attention of scientific 
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