OF SELBORNE. 
15 
they were concealed than on the surrounding morass. Nor does 
this seem to be a fanciful notion, but consistent with true philo- 
sophy. Besides the oak, I have also been shown pieces of fossil 
wood, of a paler colour and softer nature, which the inhabitants 
called fir : but, upon a nice examination, and trial by fire, I 
could discover nothing resinous in them ; and therefore rather 
suppose that they were parts of a willow or alder, or some 
such aquatic tree. 
This lonely domain is a very agreeable haunt for many sorts 
of wild fowls, which not only frequent it in the winter, but 
OLD COACH ROAD, LLAD1^■,_; THE VILLAGK. 
breed there in the summer; such as lapwings, snipes, wild 
ducks, and, as I have discovered within these few years, teals. 
Partridges in vast plenty are bred in good seasons on the verge 
of this forest, into which they love to make excursions : and 
in particular in the dry summer of 1740 and 1741, and some 
years after, they swarmed to such a degree that parties of un- 
reasonable sportsmen killed twenty and sometimes thirty brace 
in a day. 
