CHAP. CXI I. 



TAXA^CETE. TA'XUS. 



2075 



on the outside by living wood of more recent growth (as is frequently 

 seen to be the case in other old and decayed trees) ; the dead portions 

 seeming to evince a disposition to slough out, like fragments of carious 

 bone separating from the flesh ; but they are kept fixed in their position by the 

 living wood lapping over as it does, and clasping them firmly. The encas- 

 ing of the old dead wood by that of more modern formation is well displayed, 

 also, in one part of the southern limb of the tree, where an aperture occurs, 

 which exposes to view the dead wood completely enveloped and embedded 

 within the living. The trunk is decayed, and hollow at the bottom ; but 

 from within the shell there arise two or more vigorous detached portions, of 

 small diameter, which soon unite with the main wood, and run up to a con- 

 siderable height, lapping into one another, and twisting and interlacing in a 

 very striking manner, so as to suggest the idea that the trunk has been 

 ripped open, and is now exposing to view its very entrails. Imagination, 

 indeed, might readily trace a fanciful resemblance between this vegetable ruin, 

 as viewed in a particular position, and some anatomical preparation of an 

 animal trunk, of which the viscera are displayed, and preserved entire." 

 (Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. vi.) 



The Tytherley Yews. There are two yew trees in the churchyard at Queen- 

 wood, near Tytherly, in Wiltshire, whicli are above 500 years old ; the largest 

 is 28 ft. high ; diameter of the trunk 3 ft. 6 in., and of the head 50 ft. There 

 is, in the same wood, an avenue 414 \ards long, consisting of 162 yew trees, 

 which are supposed to be about 200 years old. They average 30 ft. high, 

 with trunks about 2 ft. in diameter at 2 ft. from the ground ; and heads about 

 30 ft. in diametei*. Another avenue planted about 160 years ago, and 400 

 yards long, consists of 120 trees, averaging about 24 ft. high, with trunks 

 about 2 ft. in diameter. The width of both avenues is rather more than 30 ft. 

 There are about 100 more yew trees on the Tytherly estate, but they are of 

 smaller dimensions than those already noticed. 



