THE COMMON YEW 



facts in connexion with the common Yew (Taanis baccata). 

 The seeds are poisonous to poultry and pheasants, but the 

 fleshy part round the seed is eaten with impunity by many 

 wild birds (blackbirds, etc.). The leaves are sometimes 

 poisonous and even fatal to horses, cattle, sheep, donkeys, 

 and goats, but they are not eaten by or are harmless to roe- 

 deer. When, however, e.g., horses are killed by eating yew, 

 it is generally found that they have been grazing on cut-ofF 

 branches which have been left lying on the ground. In this 

 condition probably some specially poisonous substance is 

 developed in them. 



As regards rabbits, it would be extremely comforting to 

 believe that they would eat yew-leaves or anything else 

 which would kill them, but, so far as one can judge, they can 

 eat all sorts of things which ought to do so with perfect 

 impunity. 



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