THE EAVEN TEEE. 19 



On the Blackmoor estate there is a small wood called 

 Losel's, of a few acres, that was lately furnished 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 advantage, that many of them 

 answered the description 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 echoed to the heavy blows of the beetle, 

 or mallet, the tree nodded to its fall ; but still the dam sat 

 on. At last, when it gave way, the bird was flung from her 

 nest ; and, though her parental affection deserved a better 

 fate, was whipped down by the twigs, which brought her 

 dead to the ground.f 



* The gi eater part of these trees still support the bridge. ED. 

 f" A similar instance of parental affection occurred, a few years ago, in 

 Richmond Park. Some tall spindly trees had to be taken down. A squirrel 

 had built her drey on the top of one of them, and had just brought forth some 

 young. The axe was applied to the roots of the tree ; the cord swayed it 

 backwards and forwards ; and at last it fell ; and the affectionate mother was 

 killed in the fall, refusing to the last to quit her haplass offspring. ED. 



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