The Scottish Naturalist. 75 



Some Oak trees have trunks from 60 to 100 feet in length 

 .and 70 feet in girth near the base, and contain 1,000 cubic 

 feet of timber. There are, I think, no great number now of 

 really wild Oaks in Scotland (at least in the north), though 

 formerly they were abundant. 



The Hazel (Cory/its avellana L.); Gaelic, An Caltain. Both 

 the tree (of which there are several cultivated varieties) and 

 its nuts are too well known to need description. The tree has, 

 however, a reputation of another sort, for from its twigs were 

 wont to be made divining rods, by the occult virtue of which it 

 was supposed that not only subterranean treasure, minerals, 

 and water might be detected, but those guilty of murders and 

 other crimes pointed out. In the Highlands, it is said, this 

 tree is considered one of ill omen, but two nuts naturally united 

 together — a kind of vegetable Siamese twins — are considered 

 to be an amulet of great power. 



The kernels of the nuts are, as is well known, very palatable, 

 and are sometimes converted into flower and made into biscuits. 

 The wood is useful for making charcoal and other purposes. 



The Yew (Taxas baccata); Gaelic, Anfiuchar. This tree, so 

 interesting in many respects, ought perhaps scarcely to be included 

 among those producing edible fruits, for though the beautiful red 

 berries, contrasting so well with the sombre green foliage, are 

 edible, they are neither very palatable nor of any use as an article 

 of food. Yews are now rarely met with in this country in a wild 

 state, though that they were at one time more numerous in that 

 condition the Gaelic names of several places testify. Perthshire 

 has the credit of having the remains of what was once one of the 

 largest, and at the same time one of the oldest Yew trees in Britain. 

 I mean of course the Fortingal Yew. In Pennant's time the trunk 

 of this tree, which is still alive and vigorous, but in a disjointed con- 

 dition, measured 56 feet in circumference. Its age has been com- 

 puted at 2500 years. Just for a moment think of the events which 

 have happened in this and other countries since this venerable 

 tree put up its first seed-leaves. Possibly if it could speak it 

 might enlighten us regarding the origin and object of the 

 mysterious cups and rings that the ancient inhabitants of this 

 country carved upon so many stones ; it might tell us when and 

 how that ancient people were driven away or absorbed by the 

 race which now occupies the Highlands ; it might make clear 

 all the ancient mythology of the land, and tell us about the 

 worship of those gods, Bel and Annat and Neth — whose names 



