The Natural History of Selborne

Master Etty went on board the Vansittart India-man at Spithead.  Thunderstorm in the night with a fine shower.

Columbines, a fine variegated sort, blow.

The tortoise shunned the heat, it was so intense.

Large blue flag iris blows.  Flesh-flies abound.  Timothy the tortoise possesses a much greater share of discernment than I was aware of: & “.. is much too wise to go into a well;” for when he arrives at the haha, he distinguishes the fall of the ground, & retires with caution, or marches carefully along the edge: he delights in crawling up the flower-bank, & walking along it’s verge.

Helleborus viridis sheds it’s seeds in my garden, & produces many young plants.

Filed-crickets in their pupa-state lie-out before their holes.  Magpies tear the missel-thrushes nest to pieces, & swallow the eggs.

Wheat looks somewhat yellow.  Men sow barley: but the ground is cold, & cloddy.

Vines are backward in their shoots, but show rudiments of fruit.  The cores of the spruce-firs, produced last year, now fall.  After a fast of 7, or 8 months, the tortoise which in Oct. 1779 weighted six pounds 9 oun: & 1/2 averdupoise, weighs now only 6 pounds 4 ounces.  Timothy began to break his fast May 17 on the globe-thistle, & American willow-herb; his favourite food is lettuce, & dandelion, cucumber, & kidney-beans.

The missel-thrush drives the mag-pies, & Jays from the garden.  Lettuces that stood the winter come into use.  Hops are poled, but make weak shoots.

Tortoise moves about, but does not feed yet.