14 
NATUEAL HISTOEY OE SELBOENE. 
WOLMER FOREST. 
LETTER VI. 
^ > TO THE SAME. 
Should I omit to describe with some exactness the forest of Wolmer, 
of which three-fifths perhaps lie in this parish, my account of Selborne 
would be very imperfect, as it is a district abounding with many 
curious productions, both animal and vegetable ; and has often afibrded 
me much entertainment both as a sportsman and as a naturalist. ' 
The royal forest of Wolmer is a tract of land of about seven miles in 
length, by two and a half in breadth, running nearly from north to 
south, and is abutted on, to begin to the south, and so to proceed 
eastward, by the parishes of Greatham, Lysse, Eogate, and Trotton, in 
the county of Sussex ; by Bramshot, Hedleigh, and Kingsley. This 
royalty consists entirely of sand covered with heath and fern ; but is 
somewhat diversified with hills and dales, without having one standing 
tree in the whole extent. In the bottoms, where the waters stagnate, 
are many bogs, which formerly abounded with subterraneous trees ; 
I though Dr. Plot says positively,* that "there never were any fallen 
' trees hidden in the mosses of the southern counties." But he was 
mistaken : for I myself have seen cottages on the verge of this wild 
* See his History of Staffordshire." 
