The Natural History of Selborne

Some swallows this day bring out their broods, which are perchers: they place them on rails that go across a stream, & so take their food up & down the river, feeding their young in exact rotation.

Young nestling rooks still. Young partriges, flyers.

My Brother’s vines turn pale on the chalk: the leaves begin to whither.

My Bro: has brewed a barrel of strong beer with his hordeum nudum.  My Brother’s hordeum nudum is very large and forward, and has a broad blade like wheat: it is now spindling for ear, & the tops of the ears appear.  It will be much forwarder than the common barley.  Swifts squeak much.

* The swifts that dash round churches & towers in little parties, seem to me to be the cock-birds: they never squeak ’til they come close to the walls or eaves, & possibly then are seranading their females, who are close in their nests attending to the business of incubation.  Swifts keep out the latest of any birds, never going to roost in the longest days ’til about a quarter before nine.  Just before they retire they squeak & dash & shoot about with wonderful rapidity.  Thy are stirring at least seventeen hours when the days are longest.

Nightingales very jealous of their young: & make a jarring harsh noise if you approach them.

Spiraea filipendula, Valeriana offic:. Quail calls.  Young backward rooks just flown.  Young nightingales flown.  Mayflies abound on the Whorwel streams & are taken by hirundines.

Dark, & still.  Rain.

Bees frequent my chimneys: they certainly extract somewhat from the soot, the pitchy part, I suppose.

Variable winds, & clouds flying different ways.  Ricked the St foin, four jobbs.  Rather under made, but not at all damaged by the rain.  It was made in swarth, & lay 8 days.

* Most birds drink sipping a little at a time:  but pigeons take a long continued draught like quadrupeds.  Some swallows build down the mouths of the chalk draught-holes on Faringdon-common.  House-martins retire to rest pretty soon: they roost in their nest as soon as ever it is big enough to contain them.  Martins build the shell of a nest frequently, & then forsake it, & build a new one.

Fern-owl chatters in the hanger.