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The Common Adder’s Tongue, witli its broad oval barren,
and linear fertile branch, is so unlike other British Ferns, except
the Dwarf Adder’s Tongue of Guernsey, that it may he at once
distinguished by these features. Its simple barren branch does not
present niiioh variation, the principal differences lying between a
short broad ovate outline, and a more elongated form approaching
to lanceolate. The Guernsey species has linear or linear-lanceolate
fronds, and is altogether a pigmy compared with the common sort.
The Common Adder’s Tongue is a generally dispersed British
plant, and is mostly abundant where it occurs. The localities in
which it is found are moist loamy pastures and meadow land, in
which situations it often proves injurious to the grass crop, from its
abundance, and from being disliked by cattle. It is however,
observes Dr. Kinahan, capricious in its growth, being ono year
abundant, and the next not to be fonnd. It seems less common in
Wales, as well as in Scotland and Ireland, but extends northwards
to Orkney and Shetland, in the former of which Islands Mr. J . T.
Syme has found a small variety, fructifying in autumn. There are
but few recorded Irish habitats, though it is found in the widely-
separated counties of Antrim, Galway, Dublin, and Cork. Mr.
Watson gives 600 feet as the probable limit of its altitude above the
sea level. The records of its distribution are :—
Peninsula.—Cornwall. Devonshire; Slateford; Barnstaple, J.
Nash; Okehampton, near Exeter, A. J. Gray; Westdown, near
Ilfraoomhe, Eev. F. Mules. Somersetshire: near Bristol, Miss
Worsley; Bath, B. Withers.
Channel.—Hampshire : Strathfieldsaye; Stoke; Wanston. Isle
of Wight : Bembridge Down ; Blaokgang Chine; West Cowes, &c.
Dorsetshire: Box. Wiltshire : meadows at Longleat, Mr. Botcden.
Sussex: Highlands; Framfleld, &o.
Thames.—Hertfordshire: Bury Woods, Hitohin; Elstree ; Essenden,
aud other parts. Middlesex : Hackney Marshes; Sion-lane,
Isleworth; Osterley Park, Brentford, J. Bevis; Acton, S. 0. Gray.
Kont: West Farleigh; Greenhithe ; near Canterbury, &o. Surrey :
Compton ; Beddington, D. Maher; Cobham; Eeigate ; near Dorking,
J. Bevis, &o. Oxfordshire : Banbury. Essex.
0«se._Suffolk. Norfolk: Upton Broad; Ellingham Fen, &o.
Cambridgeshire : Wilburton; Grantohestor; Whitwell; Madingley,
Bev. W. A. Leighton. Bedfordshire. Huntingdonshire.
,5e®er;i.—Warwickshire: Foleshill; Welleshourne, &o. Gloucestershire.
Herefordshire : Howie Hill, Eoss; in a wood at West
Hope Hill, E. Newman; Hpton Bishop; Whitbourne, Miss Aticood;
Berrington Park, E. Neivman; &o. Staffordshire; Noedwood.
Shropshire: West Felton, Bev. W. A. Leighton; Bridgenorth, W.
A. L . ; Llandforda Park, near Oswestry, Bev. T. Salwey.
Trent.—Leicestershire : near Braunston, Bev. A. Bloxam; Thring-
ston; Humberstone. Nottinghamshire: Paplewiok; Colwiok, Dr.
Howitt. Derbyshire: Heanor, Dr. Howitt; Breadsall.
jfg^5gy,_0heshire: Field at Heawood Hall, Alderley, H. C.
Watson. Lancashire : Warrington, IF. IFi'feora; Gate Wharf, San-
key, T. G. Bylands; Bidston Marsh: Todmorden; Manchester, &o.
Yorkshire : Eound Howe, near Eichmond, J. Ward;
Settle; Whitby; Le&mng-l&ne, T. Simpson; Sheffield; Huddersfield
; Pottery Oar, near Doncaster, S. Appleby; &o.
Tyne.—DvAiam-. Middleton, B. Bowman. Northumberland:
Hexham ; Hawthorn Dene; Haltwhistle.
Xafes.—Westmoreland : Crosby Eavensworth, B. Clarke. Cumberland
: St. Bee’s Meadows, plentiful, J. Bobson.
8. Wales.—Pembrokeshire : field near Eoche Castle, 8. 0. Gray.
N. Wales.—Anglesea. Denbighshire: Wrexham, J . E. Botoman.
W. io w f a * .—Kirkcudbrightshire. Lanarkshire.
E. A ow te* .—Berwickshire: Coldstream. Edinburghshire : Dal-
meny Wood, IF. Brand; Arniston Woods, Edinburgh. Linlithgowshire.
E. H ig h la n d s .— MdeAAcQ: Dunfermline, G. MNab. PerfhsMre:
Dunsinane. Forfarshire. Morayshire: Burghead, G. Wilson.
W. JHaAtecfe.—Argyleshire.
N. Isles.—Orkney: Bev. C. Clouston; at Swanbister Mr. Syme
finds the var. microstichum fructifying in autumn. Shetland.
Ulster.—Nairim: Knoekagh, Carriokfergus; Banks of the Logan,
near Belfast, IF. Thompson. Armagh, J . B. Hinahan.
Connaught.—Gsbnaj : Ballinasloe, Countess of Olancarty; Arran
IsleSj J- Ball.
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