6 
NATURAL HISTORY 
bridge at the Toy, near Hampton Court, being much decayed, fome 
trees were wanted for the repairs that were fifty feet long without 
bough, and would meafure twelve inches diameter at the little 
end. Twenty fuch trees did a purveyor find in this little wood, 
with this advantage, that many of them anfwered the defcrip- 
tion at fixty feet. Thefe trees were fold for twenty pounds 
apiece. 
In the centre of this grove there flood an oak^ which, though 
fliapely and tall on the whole, bulged out into a large excrefcence 
about the middle of the flem. On this a pair of ravens had 
fixed their refidence for fuch a feries of years, that the oak was 
diftinguifhed by the title of ^he Raven-tree. Many were the at- 
tempts of the neighbouring youths to get at this eyry: the diffi- 
culty whetted their inclinations, and each was ambitious of fur- 
mounting the arduous tafk. But, when they arrived at the fvvelling, 
it jutted out fo in their way, and was fo far beyond their grafp, 
that the mofl: daring lads were awed, and acknowledged the un- 
dertaking to be too hazardous. So the ravens built on, neft upon 
neft, in perfeuh fecurity, till the fatal day arrived in M'hich the 
wood was to be levelled. It was in the month of February, when 
thofe birds ufually fit. The faw was applied to the butt, the 
wedges were inferred into the opening, the woods echoed to the 
heavy blows of the beetle or mallet, the tree nodded to it's fall ; 
but flill the dam fat on. At lafl, when it gave way, the bird was 
flung from her neft; and, though her parental affedion dcfcrved 
a better fate, was whipped down by the twigs, which brought 
her dead to the groundc 
LETTER 
