372 
LUCAS : VESTIGES OF ANCIENT FOREST. 
that. From the remains of the lost forest, we can distinguish two 
zones, that of Oaks, up to about 1 200 feet ; and that of Birks, 
above that level. No doubt there would be no difficulty in con- 
structing a fairly good map of their ancient distribution, if one 
had time to devote to it. 
The peat on the moors, winch has engulfed the ancient forest, 
does not here run to a great thickness ; a large number of obser- 
vations proving a limit of 6 to 8 feet. It would not, therefore, 
require an incredible time for its formation. It is not now form- 
ing, but is undergoing a process of destruction. Except in the 
' Whams,' the conditions for its formation do not exist. In sum- 
mer the peat becomes very dry and dusty, and is blown away •, 
whole acres together of bare rock, S.E. of Great Whernside hav- 
ing been thus denuded. 
We now come to consider whether there is any evidence as 
to how recently the forests extended much above their present 
limits on to the moors. The word " With " is common in the sense 
of " Wood," and as the name of numerous woods and so of places. 
It does not occur in Nidderdale, however, above Hartwith, 
but in Washburndale, " Blaywith Wham," i.e., " Bleak Wood 
Swamp," is over 1000 feet, and on a southern slope on the open 
moors. There are no trees there now, nor are there any at 
Grimwith, similarly placed on the Wharf edale side of Greenhow 
Hill. As the word is Old Norsk (vidr a wood), this raises the 
curious question, ' Were there any trees there when the Danes 
settled in this part ? ' Some light may be thrown upon the an- 
swer by the parallel case of " Shaw," a word also meaning a 
" wood ;" a word also exclusively Danish in this sense — (O. N. 
Skogr ; Swed., Skog ; Dan., Skov.) The analogous words A. 
G. Scua, O. N. Skuggi, Dut. Schawe, mean simply ' shade,' 
' shelter.' ' Shaw,' common enough to day in the sense of ' wood,' 
occitfs in the same sense in Chaucer and the Old Ballads. Thus — 
" O ail lard, he was as goldfinch in the shawe." — 
Chaucer. — The Cook's Tale. 
