The Natural History of Selborne

Gardens are torn to pieces, & great boughs off trees.

Annuals are spoiled in the gardens.

Barley grows in the swarth.   Thunder, lightening, hail.

Stormy all night. Aequnoctial weather.  Wheat begins to sow.

Heavy showers after ’tis dark.

Several fields of wheat unhoused.

Fly-catcher & white-throat appear.

The hop-picking at Farnham is just beginning.  About 8,000 people beside natives are employed.  A vast crop.  Much wall fruit at Farnham castle; but void of flower.

The ring-ousel appears again in it’s autumnal visit; but about twenty days earlier than usual.

Not one wasp appears notwithstanding the long dry season.  Cuckows skim over the ponds at Oakhanger, & catch libellulae on the weeds, & as the flie in the air.  I can give no credit to the motion that they are birds of prey.  They have a weak bill & no talons.