The Natural History of Selborne

Raven sits.

Vast rain in the night.  Vast aurora borealis.

Bees gather on the Crocuss.

The missel-bird, turdus viscivorus (called by the country people the storm-cock) sings.  Some flies appear in the windows.  Gnats abound.

Pease are sown in the fields.  Land-springs abate.

Daws to the churches.

Snow, fog, sleet.  Icicles.  Snow on the hills.

Helleborus viridis, planted in my orchard from the stony-lane, begins to spring.  It rises from the earth with it’s flower-buds formed: & differs from Helleborus foetidus, that it dies down to the ground in the autumn, while that maintains a large handsome plant all winter.

Fog, rain, sun, grey.  Hedge sparrows sing vehemently.