30 Yew- Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



es etwas kleiner. Es hat einen rundlichen Nabel, 

 eine ungemein feine runzlige Samenschale und vorn 

 ein kleines, vorstehendes Spitzchen.' 1 



The age of the yew-wood found in the ruins of 

 Nineveh is as nothing in comparison with this. 



Although Harrington's doubt has no foundation 

 in fact, it is somewhat singular that a tree which 

 grows so readily in favourable situations should 

 not be more widely spread and abundant in this 

 country. The probable explanation of this is to 

 be found, over and above the destruction of the 

 trees for fuel, in the fact of its falling, during the 

 time of snow, an easy prey to cattle, deer, hares, 

 and rabbits, which eagerly feed on it when it is 

 almost the only green food visible and has none 

 of the holly's protective prickles. Under these 

 conditions the only trees of this species which would 

 have a chance of surviving would be those in en- 

 closures or occupying inaccessible places among 

 rocks. 



Darwin 2 gives a very good instance of the 

 manner in which trees are thus kept down by 

 cattle : 



' At Moor Park I saw a rather pretty case of the 

 effects of animals on vegetation ; there are enor- 

 mous commons with clumps of old Scotch firs on 

 the hills, and about eight or ten years ago some 



1 Die Urw'eU der Schweitz. 



2 Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, June 3rd, 1857, vol. ii. p. 100. 



