GROWTH AND LONGEYITY OF TREES. 249 



procured as far as possible Varieties should be procured, as they frequently 



tend to decide the species; mutilated specimens should [[may] b^ rejected; but 

 as we cannot always replace them by perfect ones, it is much better to retain 

 them. There is a vile practice in use among collectors, to mend such specimens 

 by parts from other insects. / cannot sufficiently express my abhorrence of such 

 ways, but I should hope that no naturalist who is a lover of truth, and an admirer 

 of Nature, will ever disgrace his cabinet by such paltry specimens, as they can he 

 of no use in a se'entife view, and only serve to had to errors."* 



In the characters of the genera, &c, and descriptions of the species, many 

 technical terms occur, which are not a little puzzling to the student. Were these 

 abolished, the attainment of a knowledge of the science would be greatly facili- 

 tated, but they are absolutely necessary. Mr. Swainson remarks, that " they 

 constitute, in fact, the language <f Zoology, since they are employed to express 

 ideas which cannot be conveyed by words in ordinary use."t In order to enable 

 the student to understand this *' language," I purpose, with the Editor's permis- 

 sion, to give some " Further Hints" on. Orismology, &c, in a future number. 



Beicsey Home, Warrington, 

 March >Z% 1838. 



ON THE GROWTH AND LONGEVITY OF TREES. 



The instructive and generally-interesting character of the following article 

 induces us to give it a place in The Naturalist. It appeared originally in the 

 Buckinghamshire Gazette, and we feel happy in possessing the opportunity of 

 giving it a more extensive circulation. 



Trees may be considered under two heads : — first, those trees which, on 

 account of the mode of their growth, cannot live beyond a certain period; a 

 second, those whose mode of growth admits of a possibility of their existing an 

 indefinite period. 



The first mentioned class increase, when young, in diameter rather than in 

 height, until a certain magnitude is attained, when they shoot up a stem, the 

 diameter of which is never much altered. This is the mode of growth of the Palm 

 tribe, and other intratropical plants ; and it prevents them from attaining a great 

 longevity. All the new woody matter produced by the leaves is insinuated down 

 the centre of the stem. The effect of this is the displacing of the pre-existing 



* Samouelle's Entom. Useful Compend. (1st Edit.), p. 322. 

 + Treatise on the Geogr. and Class, of Animals, p. 316. 



