The Natural History of Selborne

Pond-heads are blown-up: & roads torn by the torrents.  Great flood at Gracious street.  Several mills are damaged.  Hay drowned.  Finished the walls of my new parlor.

This morning more than 50 swifts sailed slowly over the village towards the S: there were almost double the number that belong to this place; & were probably actuated by some tendencies towards their retreat, which is now near at hand.

Lime trees in full bloom: on these the bees gather much honey.

My building is interrupted to by the rain.

Swifts dash & frolick about, & seem to be teaching their young the use of their wings.  Thatched my rick of meadow-hay with the damaged St foin instead of straw.  Bees begin gathering at three o’clock in the morning: Swallows are stirring at half hour after two.

Rye, which blows early, in a bad state; no promise of a crop.

The backward wheat is in beautiful bloom: the fields look quite white with blossoms.  The forward wheat is out of bloom, & therefore from the late weather not likely to be so good.

Ricked the St foin: it lay 12 days washed with continual showers, & yet is not quite spoiled.

Bees swarm by heaps.  31 swifts appear: so that if near half of them are not strangers the young broods are out.

A swarm of bees has hung-out in a torpid state for many days.