i.] OF THE ANCIENTS. 7 



speaks of the great Hercynian Forest as consisting 

 of Robora contemporary with the creation of the 

 world, and of gigantic size, respecting which he 

 reports many marvels . 



The Beech, from its possessing a kind of acorn, 

 is ranked amongst glandiferous trees, and there- 

 fore amongst Oaks. It appears to have been indi- 

 genous in the mountainous parts of ancient Europe, 

 and to have spread gradually towards the West, 

 for it was not known in Holland, nor probably 

 in England or Ireland, at the time of the Norman 

 Conquest. 



It was not the fyriyos of Theophrastus, who 

 speaks of our Beech d under the name of 'O^vrj, 

 but it was the Fagus of Pliny, whose description, 

 both of its leaves and its fruit, agrees sufficiently 

 well with our Beech, and entirely differs from that 

 given of the Oak genus. 



The Chesnut, for the same reason and with 

 greater propriety, is classed amongst the Acorn 

 tribe, but from the value of its nut as an article 

 of food, it is placed by Pliny amongst Fruit-trees. 

 It was applied to the same uses then as now, being 

 not only roasted entire, but also ground into a sort 

 of polenta or flour, for the nourishment of the pea- 

 santry. The best were those grown about Naples 

 and Tarentum. 



c Csesar, Bell, Gall., lib. vi. c. 26, mentions the Reindeer, Bos cervi 

 figum ; theAlces, the Elk ; and the Urus, the Wild Bull, Bos priscus ; 

 all three animals extinct in that country, as living in the Hercynian 

 Forest. There is a figure of each of them in the Delphin Edition of 

 Caesar. d Lib. iii. 10. 



