THE EAYEN 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 Kke firs, but, standing near together, had 

 very small heads, — only a little brush, without any large 

 Umbs. 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 iuches diameter at the 

 little- end.* Twenty such trees did a purveyor find ia this 

 little wood, with this' advantage, that many of them 

 answered the description at sisty 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 

 escrescence about the middle of the stem. On this a pair of 

 ravens had ficsed their residence for such a series of years, 

 that the oak was distinguished by the title of the Kaven 

 Tree. Many were the attempts of the neighbouring youths 

 to get at this eyrie : the difficulty whetted their iueliQations,, 

 and each was ambitious of surmountiag 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 th' most 

 daring lads were awed, and acknowledged the undertaking 

 to be too hazardous. So the ravens bmlt on, nest upon 

 nest, in perfect security, tiQ 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 iuto the 

 opening, the woods echoed to the heavy blows of the beetle, 

 or maUet, the tree nodded to its fall ; but stOl the dam sat 

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

 nest ; and, though her parental afifection deserved a better 

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

 dead to the ground.f 



* The gieater part of these trees still support the bridge. — Ed, 

 + A similar instance of parental affection occurred, -^ few years ago, in 

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

 had huilt 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 hapless offspring. — Ed. 



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