The natural history of Selborne . nding near together, had very small heads—onlya little brush, without any large limbs. Abouttwenty years ago, the bridge at the Toy, nearHampton Court, being much decayed, some treeswere wanted for the repairs that were fifty feet longwithout bough, and would measure twelve inchesdiameter at the little end. Twenty such trees dida purveyor find in this little wood, with this ad-vantage, that many of them answered the descrip-tion at sixty feet. These trees were sold for 20Lapiece. In the centre of this grove there stood an oak,which, though shapely and tall on
The natural history of Selborne . nding near together, had very small heads—onlya little brush, without any large limbs. Abouttwenty years ago, the bridge at the Toy, nearHampton Court, being much decayed, some treeswere wanted for the repairs that were fifty feet longwithout bough, and would measure twelve inchesdiameter at the little end. Twenty such trees dida purveyor find in this little wood, with this ad-vantage, that many of them answered the descrip-tion at sixty feet. These trees were sold for 20Lapiece. In the centre of this grove there stood an oak,which, though shapely and tall on the whole, bulgedout into a large excrescence about the middle of thestem. On this a pair of Ravens had fixed theirresidence for such a series of years, that the oakwas distinguished by the title of the were the attempts of the neighbouring youthsto get at this eyry: the difficulty whetted their in- 20 NATURAL HISTORY clinations, and each was ambitious of surmountingthe arduous task; but when they arrived at the. swelling, it jutted out so in their way, and was sofar beyond their grasp, that the most daring ladswere awed, and acknowledged the undertaking tobe too hazardous. So the ravens built on, nestupon nest, in perfect security, till the fatal day ar-rived in which the wood was to be levelled. Itwas in the month of February, when those birdsusually sit. The saw was applied to the but, thewedges were inserted into the opening, the woodsechoed to the heavy blows of the beetle or mallet,the tree nodded to its fall; but still the dam sat last, when it gave way, the bird was flung fromher nest; and, though her parental affection de-served a better fate, was whipped down by the twigs,which brought her dead to the ground. OF SELBORNE. 21 LETTER III. The fossil shells of this district, and sorts ofstone, such as have fallen within my observation,must not be passed over in silence. And, first, Imust mention, as a great curiosity, a specimen thatwas ploughed u
Size: 1602px × 1559px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
