6 
THE NATURAL HISTORY 
[LETT. 
like firs, but standing near together liad very small heads, only 
a little brush without any large limbs. 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 inches 
diameter at the little end. Twenty such trees did a purveyor 
find in this little wood, with this advantage, that many of them 
answered the description at sixty feet. These trees were sold 
for twenty pounds apiece. 
THK Fi.KSl'dl;. 
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 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 Eaven Tree. Many were the 
attempts of the neighbouring youths to get at this eyry : 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 
