346 



THE BEECH. 



a third species has lately been discovered on a 

 third species of Beech in Van Diemen's Land. 

 How singular is this relationship between para- 

 sitical fungi and the trees on which they grow, 

 in distant parts of the world ! In Tierra del 



Fuego, the fungus in its tough and mature state 

 is collected in large quantities by the women 

 and children, and is eaten uncooked. It has a 

 mucilaginous, slightly sweet taste, with a faint 

 smell like that of a mushroom. With the excep- 

 tion of a few berries, chiefly of a dwarf Arbutus, 

 the natives eat no vegetable food besides the 

 fungus. In New Zealand, before the introduc- 

 tion of the potato, the roots of the fern were 

 largely consumed. At the present time, I believe, 

 Tierra del Fuego is the only country in the 

 world where any plant belonging to either of 

 these tribes affords a staple article of food." 



Among the many remarkable Beeches now 

 standing in England, the following are most 

 worthy of note. 



Of the Beeches in Windsor Park, Jesse says, in 



CITTARIA DARWINII. 



