34 NATURAL HISTORY 



well acquainted, the bounds on this side, in old times, 

 came into Binswood ; and extended to the ditch of 

 Ward le ham Park, in which stands the curious mount 

 called King John's Hill, and Lodge Hill; and to the 

 verge of Hartley Mauduit, called Mauduit-hatch ; com- 

 prehending also Short-heath, Oakhanger, and Oak- 

 woods; a large district, now private property, though 

 once belonging to the royal domain 3 . 



It is remarkable that the term purlieu is never once 

 mentioned in this long roll of parchment. It contains, 

 besides the perambulation, a rough estimate of the value 

 of the timbers, which were considerable, growing at that 

 time in the district of The Holt 4 ; and enumerates the 

 officers, superior and inferior, of those joint forests, for 

 the time being, and their ostensible fees and perquisites. 

 In those days, as at present, there were hardly any trees 

 in Wolmer Forest. 



Within the present limits of the forest are three con- 

 siderable lakes, Hogmer, Cranmer, and Wolmer ; all of 

 which are stocked with carp, tench, eels, and perch : 

 but the fish do not thrive well, because the water is 

 hungry, and the bottoms are a naked sand 5 . 



A circumstance respecting these ponds, though by no 



3 In the beginning of the summer, 1787, the royal forests of Wolmer 

 and Holt were measured by persons sent down by government. 



[According to the Report of the Commissioners here referred to, the 

 forests contain about fifteen thousand four hundred and ninety-three 

 acres, statute measure: but of that quantity about six thousand seven 

 hundred and ninety-nine acres belong to private proprietors ; the rest, 

 being about eight thousand six hundred and ninety-four acres, are forest 

 lands belonging to the crown. The royal forest of The Holt, with its 

 enclosures, comprehends two thousand seven hundred and forty-four 

 acres. Wolmer, with but two enclosures within its precincts, extends 

 over five thousand nine hundred and forty-nine acres. E. T. B.] 



4 The timber of The Holt, at the time of the survey referred to in the 

 preceding note, was valued at .61,100. E. T. B. 



5 In the enumeration made to me by the intelligent keeper at Wolmer 

 Pond, the voracious pike was substituted for the perch, and the eel was 

 omitted. The harsh and unyielding nature of the bottom would be little 

 suited either to the eels themselves, or to the softer animals on which 

 they feed. E. T. B. 



