The Natural History of Selborne 3 7 



is a great economist, converts the recreation of one animal to the 

 support of another ! Thomson, who was a nice observer of natural 

 occurrences, did not let this pleasing circumstance escape him. He 

 says, in his Summer, 



"A various group the herds and flocks compose; 



on the grassy bank 



Some ruminating lies while others stand 

 Half in the. flood, and, often bending, sip 

 The circling surface." 



Wolmer Pond, so called, I suppose, for eminence sake, 1 is a vast 

 lake for this part of the world, containing, in its whole circumfer- 

 ence, 2646 yards, or very near a mile and a half. The length of the 

 north-west and opposite side is about 704 yards, and the breadth of 

 the south-west end about 456 yards. This measurement, which I 

 caused to be made with good exactness, gives an area of about 

 sixty-six acres, exclusive of a large irregular arm at the north-east 

 corner, which we did not take into the reckoning. 



On the face of this expanse of waters, and perfectly secure from 

 fowlers, lie all day long, in the winter season, vast flocks of ducks, 

 teals, and widgeons, of various denominations ; where they preen 

 and solace, and rest themselves, till towards sunset, when they 

 issue forth in little parties (for in their natural state they are all 

 birds of the night) to feed in the brooks and meadows ; returning 

 again with the dawn of the morning. Had this lake an arm or two 

 more, and were it planted round with thick covert (for now it is 

 perfectly naked), it might make a valuable decoy. 



Yet neither its extent, nor the clearness of its water, nor the resort 

 of various and curious fowls, nor its picturesque groups of cattle, 

 can render this meer so remarkable as the great quantity of coins 



1 White is mistaken, I need hardly say, in supposing the pond to be called 

 after the forest .: it is really the forest which is called after the pond. The wild 

 tract between Petersfield, Haslemere, and Selborne contained three meres, Hogmere, 

 Cranmere, and Wolmere, or Hogmer, Cranmer, and Wolmer. From the largest of 

 these three, Wolmer, the forest took its usual name. Wolmer Pond was once 

 much larger than in White's time, and has now been still more extensively drained, 

 till it is quite insignificant. ED. 



