18 THE RAVEN TREE. 



called Losel's, of a few acres, that was lately fur- 

 nished with a set of oaks of a peculiar growth and 

 great value : they were tall and taper like firs, but, 

 standing near together, had very small heads, 

 only a little brush, without any large limbs. About 

 twenty years ago the bridge at the Toy, near 

 Hampton Court, being much decayed, some trees 

 were wanted for the repairs, that were fifty feet long 

 without bough, and would measure twelve inches 

 diameter at the little end.* Twenty such trees 

 did a 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 20 

 a-piece. 



In the centre of this grove there stood an oak, 

 which, though shapely and tall on the whole, bulged 

 out into a large excrescence about the middle of 

 the stem. On this a pair of ravens had fixed their 

 residence for such a series of years, that the oak 

 was distinguished by the title of- the Raven Tree. 

 Many were the attempts of the neighbouring youths 

 to get at this eyrie : the difficulty whetted their 

 inclinations, and each was ambitious of surmounting 

 the arduous task. But when they arrived at the 

 swelling, it jutted out so in their way, and was so 

 far beyond their grasp, that the most daring lads 

 were awed, and acknowledged the undertaking to 

 be too hazardous. So the ravens built on, nest 

 upon nest, in perfect security, till the fatal day 

 arrived in which the wood was to be levelled. It 

 was in the month of February, when those birds 

 usually sit. The saw was applied to the butt, the 

 wedges were inserted into the opening, the woods 



* Dr. Plot mentions a table of one solid plank of above 75 feet 

 long, and a yard broad through the whole length, to be seen in 

 Dudley Castle hall, in the park of which the oak grew. Nat. 

 Hist, of Staffordshire. W. J. 



