The Forest Trees of Wiltshire. 



135 



floor, the jaw was singularly well preserved, of an ivory whiteness 

 and density, and even retained distinct traces of the natural oil or 

 medulla. Near the skull was a curious implement of black flint — 

 a sort of circular knife with a short projecting handle, the edges 

 elaborately chipped. (Fig. 8.) The skeleton was perhaps that of a 

 chief, for whose burial the chamber and tumulus were erected, and 

 in honour of whom certain slaves and dependants were immolated. 



J. T. 



C|e Jfowst %xti% of MiUspK. 



By W. B., R. D. 



fSSfpE writer of the following pages begs at the outset to state, 

 $2 §91 that, at the solicitation of two friends who are much 

 interested in this Magazine, and with fear and trembling, he is 

 making the attempt to give some slight account of the Forest Trees 

 of Wiltshire. He begs also to state, that his knowledge of the 

 county is limited, being confined to a comparatively small portion 

 of the districts in it : — that he is totally unacquainted with botany, 

 and that what little he knows of trees is derived mainly from a 

 practical, not at all from a scientific acquaintance with them, and 

 from having read Evelyn's " Sylva," when a boy. Under these 

 circumstances he hopes every allowance will be made for those 

 many short-comings and imperfections which cannot fail to be 

 manifest throughout. He hopes, too, that those very imperfections 

 will induce some well-qualified person to take up the subject in 

 order that justice may be done it. To that end he would suggest 

 that those readers of the Magazine who have on their own estates, 

 or who live in the neighbourhood of trees remarkable for historical 

 associations, age, size, or any note- worthy quality, should commu- 

 nicate with the Secretary of the Society about them, so that a 

 personal inspection might be made by whomsoever the subject may 

 be taken up at some future time. The writer would also add, that 



