Index: src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/InheritanceTest.java
===================================================================
--- src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/InheritanceTest.java	(revision 809)
+++ src/test/com/thoughtworks/acceptance/InheritanceTest.java	(working copy)
@@ -127,4 +127,96 @@
                 "</child-a>";
         assertBothWays(childA, expected);
     }
+
+
+    public static class Person {
+        String firstName;
+        String lastName;
+        boolean isOld;
+
+        public Person(String firstName, String lastName, boolean old) {
+            this.firstName = firstName;
+            this.lastName = lastName;
+            isOld = old;
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static class House {
+        List people = new ArrayList();
+    }
+
+    public static class Woman extends Person {
+        public Woman(String firstName, String lastName, boolean old) {
+            super(firstName, lastName, old);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static class Man extends Person {
+        public Man(String firstName, String lastName, boolean old) {
+            super(firstName, lastName, old);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void testBasicInheritance() {
+        xstream.alias("house", House.class);
+        xstream.aliasField("first-name", Person.class, "firstName");
+        xstream.aliasField("last-name", Person.class, "lastName");
+        xstream.aliasField("is-old", Person.class, "isOld");
+        xstream.alias("woman", Woman.class);
+        xstream.alias("man", Man.class);
+
+        Man man = new Man("John", "Doe", true);
+        Woman woman = new Woman("Jane", "Doe", true);
+        House house = new House();
+        house.people.add(man);
+        house.people.add(woman);
+
+        String expected = "<house>\n" +
+                "  <people>\n" +
+                "    <man>\n" +
+                "      <first-name>John</first-name>\n" +
+                "      <last-name>Doe</last-name>\n" +
+                "      <is-old>true</is-old>\n" +
+                "    </man>\n" +
+                "    <woman>\n" +
+                "      <first-name>Jane</first-name>\n" +
+                "      <last-name>Doe</last-name>\n" +
+                "      <is-old>true</is-old>\n" +
+                "    </woman>\n" +
+                "  </people>\n" +
+                "</house>";
+        assertBothWays(house, expected);
+    }
+
+    public void testInheritanceOverriding() {
+        xstream.alias("house", House.class);
+        xstream.aliasField("first-name", Person.class, "firstName");
+        xstream.aliasField("last-name", Person.class, "lastName");
+        xstream.aliasField("is-old", Person.class, "isOld");
+        xstream.alias("woman", Woman.class);
+        xstream.alias("man", Man.class);
+        xstream.aliasField("is-distinguished", Man.class, "isOld");
+
+        Man man = new Man("John", "Doe", true);
+        Woman woman = new Woman("Jane", "Doe", true);
+        House house = new House();
+        house.people.add(man);
+        house.people.add(woman);
+
+        String expected = "<house>\n" +
+                "  <people>\n" +
+                "    <man>\n" +
+                "      <first-name>John</first-name>\n" +
+                "      <last-name>Doe</last-name>\n" +
+                "      <is-distinguished>true</is-distinguished>\n" +
+                "    </man>\n" +
+                "    <woman>\n" +
+                "      <first-name>Jane</first-name>\n" +
+                "      <last-name>Doe</last-name>\n" +
+                "      <is-old>true</is-old>\n" +
+                "    </woman>\n" +
+                "  </people>\n" +
+                "</house>";
+        assertBothWays(house, expected);
+    }
 }