RAVEN TREE AT SELBORNE 133 



their wants, I have proved repeatedly by my own 

 experience. And the strength of her parental affec- 

 tion even for her eggs, may be shown by the pathetic 

 story of " the Raven Tree" told by Gilbert White : 



In the centre of Losel's 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 the mallet, the tree nodded to its fall ; but still 

 the daw 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, 



