20 The Natural History of Se I borne 



longs together. In many places they are reduced sixteen or 

 eighteen feet beneath the level of the fields; and after floods, and 

 in frosts, exhibit very grotesque and wild appearances, from the 

 tangled roots that are twisted among the strata, and from the 

 torrents rushing down their broken sides ; and especially when 

 those cascades are frozen into icicles, hanging in all the fanciful 

 shapes of frost-work. These rugged gloomy scenes affright the 

 ladies when they peep down into them from the paths above, 

 and make timid horsemen shudder while they ride along them ; 

 but delight the naturalist with their various botany, and par- 

 ticularly with their curious filices, with which they abound. 



The manor of Selborne, was it strictly looked after, with 

 all its kindly aspects, and all its sloping coverts, would 

 swarm with game; even now hares, partridges, and pheas- 

 ants abound; and in old days woodcocks were as plentiful. 

 There are few quails, because they more affect open fields 

 than enclosures ; after harvest some few landrails are seen. 



The parish of Selborne, by taking in so much of the forest, 

 is a vast district. Those who tread the bounds are employed 

 part of three days in the business, and are of opinion that 

 the outline, in all its curves and indentings, does not com- 

 prise less than thirty miles. 



The village stands in a sheltered spot, secured by the 

 Hanger from the strong westerly winds. The air is soft, but 

 rather moist from the effluvia of so many trees ; yet perfectly 

 healthy and free from agues. 



The quantity of rain that falls on it is very considerable, as 

 may be supposed in so woody and mountainous a district. As 

 my experience in measuring the water is but of short date, I am 

 not qualified to give the mean quantity.* I only know that 



* A very intelligent gentleman assures me (and he speaks from upwards 

 of forty years' experience), that the mean rain of any place cannot be 

 ascertained till a person has measured it for a very long period. " If I 

 had only measured the rain," says he, "for the four first years, from 1740 

 to 1743, I should have said the mean rain at Lyndon was 16^ inches for 

 the year ; if from 174010 1750, 18^ inches. The mean rain before 1763 

 was 2o inches, from 1763 and since 25^ inches, from 1770 to 1780, 26 

 inches. If only 1773, 1774, and 1775, had been measured, Lyndon mean 

 rain would have been called 32 inches." 



