The Natural History of Selborne

There seem to be more hirundines, particularly house-martins, & swifts, about Midhurst than with us.

Swifts stay out ’til within 10 minutes of 9.  Ivy-berries fallen-off.  Young grasshoppers.

House-martins gather moss, & grasses for their nests from the Roofs of houses.

Odd meteorous circle round the sun, which the common people call a mock sun.

Young broods of moor-hens appear.  Lettuces that stood the winter are very fine.  Cut my St. foin: it is in full bloom, & a good crop:  this is the seventh crop…. swifts have eggs, but do not sit. Do they lay more than two?

Chafers are pretty well gone; they did not deface the hedges this year.  When swifts mute flying, they raise their wings over their backs.

Bees gather much from the bloom of the buck-thorn, rhamnus catharticus: & somewhat from the new shoots of the laurel.

Bees swarm and sheep are shorn.  My firs did not blow this year.

The redstart sits singing on the fane of the may-pole, & on the weather-cock of the tower.

The swallows pursue the magpies & buffet them.  Wall-fruit swells.