Occurrence of the Yew in Churchyards. 85 



useless to enquire. There is no reason, however, hence to 

 anticipate that supernatural means must necessarily be resorted 

 to, as a malignant disease might suffice to level all ranks in 

 the dust. It is enough for my present purpose, to indicate in 

 this the diversity of the human from all other species. 



Some have argued the connexion of man with the reci- 

 procal system to which the inferior animals pertain, because, 

 forsooth, he sometimes is annoyed by parasites. Without 

 dwelling upon this topic, I may be allowed to say that it 

 remains to be shown that any are peculiar to the human 

 species. The certain fact, that different races of mankind are 

 infested by distinct species, rather points to the conclusion, 

 that, as the bed cimex can subsist and thrive away from 

 human habitations, so also may even those species which abide 

 on the person.* 



(To be continued.) 



Art. V. On the Longevity of the Yeiv, as ascertained from actual 

 Sections of its Trunk ; and on the Origin of its frequent Occur- 

 rence in Churchyards. By J. E. Bowman, Esq., F.L.S. 



( Continued from p. 35.) 



Many reasons have been assigned for the frequent occur- 

 rence of the yew in our churchyards: to me, it always seemed 

 most natural and simple to believe that, being indisputably in- 

 digenous, and, from its perennial verdure f, its longevity, and 



among wild birds. The Hon. and Rev. W. Herbert remarks, incidentally, 

 that he has found in the nests of whitethroats (Curruca cinerea) a great 

 predominance of males, and the contrary in those of whinchats andstonechats; 

 which latter I have also noticed myself; but cannot say that I have re- 

 marked it in a sufficient number of instances, nor over a sufficient extent of 

 ground, nor for a sufficiently protracted period, to be enabled to deduce any 

 general or satisfactory conclusion : the fact can, in most instances, be only 

 ascertained (without slaughtering a great number) by raising them to matu- 

 rity in confinement. But the young stonechat may be readily distinguished 

 even in the nest : the immature males having a large pure white spot above 

 their wings, which in the females is pale brown. The subject is extremely 

 worthy of further investigation, and it is needless to point out its important 

 bearings in wild nature. 



* It is amusing to observe how gravely the loss of these parasites is 

 commented on in Vol. IX. p. 612. as a necessary consequence of the ex- 

 termination of human beings. Let us suppose they were to perish ; what 

 then ? Have not myriads upon myriads of every class of beings become 

 extinct, as species, without affecting at all the workings of the mighty system ? 

 Why, then, should the dreaded loss of a few parasites, the sphere of whose 

 influence cannot be supposed to extend beyond that of the species to which 

 their adaptations link them ? 



f Its very name seems to be derived from the Celtic, iw, signifying 

 verdure. 



