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The plant is a maritime rock Fern scarcely ascending above the 
sea level. The situations in which it occurs are described as sea 
cliffs, within reach of the spray; sea caves; the faces and vertical 
crevices of coast rocks; the gulleys of the cliffs where little rills of 
fresh water dribble down from above, depositing a travertine sedi- 
ment. Mr. Johnson describes this in a letter to Mr. Maw, thus:— 
*The Adiantum at Dunraven grows luxuriantly, forming a green 
tapestry on the face ofthe cliff. It grows in a sort of travertine formed 
by the filtration of a caleareous spring through hypnum and other 
mosses, and is so hard, that without the assistance of my geological 
hammer and chisel, I could not have detached any of it. Some of 
the fronds in the cavities of the rock are eight or ten inches long or 
longer, but I could not reach them. Those in the face of the cliff 
are not above two or three inches in length. The rock faces due 
west, and is fully exposed to the wind, and even spray. Over it 
comes a stream of clear water, which spreading as it falls drips from 
stone to stone, and keeps the surface constantly wet. The substance 
formed by the petrifaction of the mosses and marchantias is in places 
many inches thick, some of it harder than the lias itself.” This 
rare plant is found in Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset, in Gla- 
morgan and in some adjacent isles. The Isle of Man is its northern 
certified limit. In Ireland, it has been found in Galway; in the 
Arran Isles; in Kerry ; and in Clare. There are, besides, reputed 
habitats, which require verification—in England, in the counties 
of Stafford, Salop, Derby, and York; and in Scotland, in those of 
Bute and Kincardine. In the latter county, Mr. D. Hutcheson 
informs us that he found it, in 1842, on rocks near the sea, north- 
east of Stonehaven, which nearly accords with the originally pub- 
lished station in this county, namely, the banks of the Carron. It 
is met with, but is apparently rare, in Jersey. The principal 
recorded stations are distributed thus :— 
Peninsula. —Cornwall: Carclew, Miss M. J. Fox; Penzance; 
Carrick Gladden, Rev. J. Harris; St. Ives, Rev. J. S. Tozer; and 
elsewhere, between St. Ives and Hayle, in low dripping’ sea-caves 
and on coast rocks. Devonshire: Ilfracombe, Rev. J. M. Chanter $ 
White Pebble Bay, N.. B. Ward; Rillidge Point, N. B. W-; 

