24 BRITISH FERNS, 
intended by the name employed; and, just as among 
pigeons we soon gain a tolerably correct notion of 
what is meant by the terms “fantail,” “ pouter,” 
**tumbler,” &c., so in ferns it will be found extremely 
easy to learn what I mean by “ Recurvum,” “ Mul- 
tiflorum,” “ Callipteris,” &c., and having learned this, 
then the long dissertations whether they are species 
or varieties will be understood, although very rarely 
found of much interest, 
It will be observed that I have almost invariably 
confined myself to a single Latin name: I am aware 
that this is contrary to all Practice, authors pluming 
themselves on the number and length of the Latin 
appellations they bestow on each Species: no less 
than eighty-six Latin names have been assigned to 
Filix-femina and its varieties, and forty-seven to 
Scolopendrium and its varieties, These mentally 
athletic feats of name-making doubtless excite wonder 
and admiration amongst the gardeners for som 
they are intended, but there ig not the remotest 
probability of their ever being of the slightest use 
to any one else. 
As regards what are called “generic” 
