TAYLOR : DOMINANCY IN NATURE. 
even in Roman times, yet it.s relics are not found lower than beneath 
the upper strata of the peat bogs, and are there associated with 
iron implements and weapons. 
The Pedunculated Oak {(^uercus pedumulata—robiir) is probably 
next the Beech in dominating power and formerly extended over and 
occupied the whole of the clays and loamy soils of this country, and 
still forms extensive forests beyond the effective range of the beech 
or on soils upon which the beech does not yet thrive so well. Though 
growing freely on deep, damp sands and on marls or calcareous clays, 
it is more especially characteristic of the deep and moist heavy or 
medium soils of the lowlands and does not naturally ascend the hills 
higher than about 600 feet, its place above that height being assumed 
by its close ally and predecessor sessilljiora. 
The earlier evolution of the Pedunculated Oak, compared with 
that of the beech, is not only shown by its geographical distribution 
being more extensive and less continuous, but by its remains in the 
peat-bogs of Denmark, being always found at a lower level and in 
association with weapons and implements of the Bronze " age. 
The Sessile Oak {Q. se.ii-itlifloj'a) is the predecessor of the Peduncu- 
late form and being an earlier race is comparatively regressive, 
has a greater geographical range and ascends the liills to a greater 
altitude. It is, however, still the dominant oak on shallow soils of 
a dry and siliceous or non-calcareous character, or at altitudes below 
1,000 feet, ranging downwards to 600 feet, where it is superseded by 
the more dominant Q. robiir. 
Its prior evolution to the Pedunculated Oak is confirmed by the 
occurrence of its remains in the Danish peat-bogs, where the relics of 
the Sessile Oak are found beneath those of the Pedunculate form, 
their relative antiquity is also demonstrated by the weapons and 
implements of the "Bronze" age which are characteristic of and dis- 
tributed throughout the deposits containing Q. robur being only 
found in the upper part of the deposit containing the remains of the 
Sessile variety, while the lower part is characterized by weapons and 
tools of Neolithic age. 
The Scots Pine {Phi us .<(jkestris) is a very ancient and therefore 
regressive tree, growing on very diverse soils and in very exposed 
and unfavourable situations : it is, however, dominant over the birch, 
which is a still earlier evolved and more primitive tree. The Scots 
Pine, though formerly so abundant throughout Britain, as evidenced 
by the immense number of its cones imbedded at the base of the 
peat-bogs and in "submerged forests" of the Neolithic period, has 
since been expelled from the more favourable southern districts and 
gradually driven northwards and into the mountain districts by the 
oaks and other more dominant trees. In Scotland, however, it is 
still the dominant tree in the more northern regions. 
In Denmark, it also formerly overspread the country and its remains 
mixed with those of the birch and other trees are found beneath 
