Fall of an aged Ash Tree. 327 



tree, where a large branch had been originally broken off, 

 and, the wet having penetrated, the wood had decayed and 

 formed a large hole about 18 in. deep, at the bottom of 

 which was the nest. One was in a tree of common maple 

 (^4 N cer campestre L.), about 10 ft. from the ground. It was 

 formed of a few small twigs, dried reeds, and straws ; and con- 

 tained two white eggs of a smaller size than those of the 

 wood pigeon. The nuthatch is common here, and the lesser 

 spotted woodpecker is occasionally seen. 



I have duplicate shells of many of the above-mentioned 

 species, and should be happy to make exchanges, for other 

 British land and freshwater shells, with those of your corre- 

 spondents who may be so disposed. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 At Sir G. Crexve's, Bart., A. Bloxam. 



Calke Abbey, Derbyshire, May 24. 1833. 



, 



Art. VI. Some Remarks relating to the Fall of an aged Ash Tree. 

 By the Rev. W. T. Bree, M.A. 



" Te, triste lignum, te caducum." Hor. 

 Thou luckless falling tree. 



Sir, 

 The heavy gales of wind from the west and north-west, 

 which prevailed in the early part of December last, inflicted 

 upon me what I consider an irreparable loss. On the 3d of 

 December, a large and very aged ash tree, completely en- 

 veloped with ivy, was blown up by the roots, crushing its 

 humbler neighbours in its fall, and leaving in my shady walk 

 a sad unsightly gap, " hiatus valde deflendus," which it will 

 require many long years to fill up, if, indeed, its place be ever 

 again supplied with an object of equal beauty and grandeur. 

 The tree bore the appearance of having formerly, at some 

 distant day, been pollarded or lopped at about eighteen feet 

 from the ground ; and the trunk had certainly for many years 

 been partially hollow, and in a state of decay, insomuch that 

 the wasps occasionally constructed their nests within it, 

 making their entrance just above the surface, through an ori- 

 fice caused by the decay of one of the spurs. I had long been 

 aware that the fatal day could not be very far distant, when 

 this most picturesque object would be levelled with the ground ; 

 for it had for several years retained its hold in the earth, 

 apparently, by little more than one main fang of its roots, aided 

 by the large stem of 



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