Can you identify this.

Could be from the Yew tree,they have seeds enveloped in fleshy red cupule,not poisonous,kerryvw.

Yew berry would've been my suggestion.

The seeds are lethal, Kerry but the red flesh is edible.

definitely yew, and yes the seeds are very poisonous, i think they contain a mix of alkaloids. the flesh of the berry however is suppose to be quite nice and sweet.

Yes yew berry - yes lethal. Many an animal and child has been killed by ingesting these. The seed passes through birds but not mammals.

Mammal stomachs break down the outer "shell" of the seeds which in turn releases the toxins and they get absorbed.

My guess would be that this was dropped by a bird in flight.

'clear gunk' is the giveaway. I always describe it as like eating snot.

The seeds have an indigestible coating and there are reports of people eating up to 40 and just passing the undigested seed.

Over evolutionary time, animals that had stomach acid strong enough to digest the seed casing have died out.

I met someone who said he ate 100s of arils every year. He said he spat out the seeds rather than swallowing them.

Animal poisonings are almost always from the foliage.

Another old wives tae then, Tpg.

fatal poisoning in humans is very rare,usually occurring after consuming the foliage.The leaves are more toxic than the seed.kerryvw.

That's right, Bulbaholic. There's something in humans that makes us like being scared. Theme park owners have made fortunes because of it.

It missed me Bulba - I just hate being scared...