The Natural History of Selborne

Swifts seem to be gone; very early.  Vast clouds on the horizon.  Wheat bound.

Wind covers the walks with leaves, & blows down the annuals.

Hops visible improved by the thunder.  If the swifts are gone, as they seem to be, they can never breed but once in a summer; since the swallows & martins in general are but now laying their eggs for a second brood.  As young swifts never perch or congregate on buildings I can never be sure exctly whenthey come forth.  The retreat of the swifts so early is a wonderful fact : & yet it is more strange still, that they withdraw full as soon in the summer at Gibraltar!  Swifts sat hard Hune 9th.

Wheat-harvest pretty general.  Dark heavy clouds to the N.W. Heat unusually severe all this week!  This storm did great damage in & about London.

Great thunder, & lightening.

Most sultry night.

Hops have been some time in bloom, & do not promise for much of a crop: they are lousy and do not run up the poles well.

The flight of the scarabaeus solstitiales seems to be over.  Measles still in some families.

The male & femal ants of the little dusky sort come forth by myriads, & course about with great agility.

Apis manicata.  This bee is never observed by me ’til the Stachys germanica blows, on which it feeds all day: tho’ doubtless it had other plants to feed on before I introduced that Stachys.