The
character of the vegetation visibly changed as we ascended. We left the
oak and beech, and came upon a forest of pine-trees, and I thought of
the lines--
"This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight."
The grey moss which hangs in such abundant festoons from the fir-trees
has a most singular effect, almost weird at times. These ancients of the
forest, with their long grey beards and hoary tresses, look very solemn
indeed in the gloaming.
What unheeded wealth in these majestic trees, which grow but to decay!
Enormous trunks lay on every side: some had passed into the rottenness
which gives new life; and here fungi of bright and varied hues, grey
lichen, and green moss preserved together the contour of the gigantic
stem, which, prostrate and decayed now, had once held its head high
amongst the lordlings of the forest.
In the last century these woods were tenanted by wild aurochs and the
ibex, but both are extinct now in Hungary. Red-deer and the roe are
still common enough. "The wild-cat, fox, badger, otter, marten, and
other smaller carnivora are pretty numerous." Mr Danford[11] goes on to
say that "feathered game is certainly not abundant. There are a good
many capercailzie in the quiet pine-woods, pretty high up, but they are
only to be got at during the pairing season. Hazel-grouse too are common
in the lower woods, but are not easily found unless the call-system be
adopted.
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