10 



NATURAL 



HISTORY 



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 like firs, 

 but standing near together, had very 

 small heads, only a little brush without 

 any large limbs. About twenty years 

 ago the bridge at the Toy, near Hampton 

 iJourt being much decayed, some trees 

 were wanted for the repairs that were 

 fifty feet long without bough, and would 

 measure twelve inches diameter at the 

 little end. Twenty such trees did a 

 purveyor find in this little wood, with 

 this advantage, that many of them an- 

 swered the description at sixty feet. 

 These trees were sold for twenty pounds 

 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 

 excrescence about the middle of the 



