A NATIONAL SANCTUARY 
53 
wild fowl might be seen in the winter, while in summer it was 
brightened by pictures(jiie groups of cattle standing knee-deep in 
the clear water. 
Hut these, unfortunately, are things of the past. This pond 
is fed entirely by soakage from the higher ground, which, being 
now in great measure intercepted by the fir plantations, causes 
it not unfrecpiently to become {juite dry in summer, while even in 
winter the bed of it is but imperfectly covered. .■\n impression 
prevails, 1 find, in some (juarters that this is caused by leakage 
in the bed of the pond, owing, it is asserted, to large (juantities of 
gravel having been taken from it in order to form a road which 
some sixty years ago was made from Petersfield to Farnham 
through the forest ; but this is, undoubtedly, an error. On refer- 
ring the matter to my venerable acquaintance he assured me that 
no material of any kind was taken from the pond, that he was 
employed at the time to superintend the making of that portion 
of the road, and that all the gravel used was carted from some 
pits quite half a mile distance from the water. Fortunately, 
there are several other ponds in the forest, which, being supplied 
by springs, are constantly full, and these, together with small 
brooks, still attract wild fowl in considerable numbers. 
Thus it is evident that Wolmer combines in an eminent 
degree the natural conditions desirable in a sanctuary for birds 
and wild creatures. Although it has been somewhat curtailed 
in extent since Gilbert White’s time, when it was seven miles 
in length by two miles and a half in breadth, it still comprises a 
large area of land almost valueless for agriculture, and the fir 
woods now afford admirable shelter for many kinds of birds 
which could not exist on a bare heath. Aloreover, all pasturage 
and other rights formerly enjoyed by farmers and cottagers in 
the neighbourhood have been compounded for, so that the 
Department of Woods and Forests and the War Office have 
now, jointly, absolute control over the whole district, and 
vagrant trespassing is not permitted. The importance of this is 
obvious. Were tramps, bird-catchers, gipsies, and poachers 
allowed free access, not only might some parts of the forest 
become unsafe, but the extermination of bird life and the 
destruction of all beautiful natural objects w'ould be speedily 
and certainly accomplished. 
In petitioning the Government for the perpetual preservation 
of this district in its present state as a sanctuary for birds, and 
as a national memorial of England’s greatest outdoor naturalist, 
Gilbert White, all existing conditions had, by the Guildford 
Society, to be taken into consideration. Manifestly it would 
have been extremely injudicious to attempt to interfere with the 
present tenure of Wolmer by the War Office, as this depart- 
ment not only owns some portions of it outright, but holds 
the remainder on lease until the year 1910. The petition, then, 
expressly stated that no interference wnth the rights of the War 
Office was desired, and, this being understood, the result of the 
