The Natural History of Selborne

Mr Taylor & his Bride came to Selborne.

On this day the streets of Lyons were covered with snow.

Viper comes out.  Two swallows were seen at Nismes in Languedoc: & on the 28th several, tho’ the air was sharp, & some flakes of snow fell.

Some patches of snow still on the hanger: much snow in Newton hollow lane.

Sowed six rows of garden-beans in the meadow; & two in the garden.  Chif-chaf is heard: his notes are loud, & piercing.

Took away the netting on the wall-cherries.

Snow wastes very fast.  Roofs clear of snow.  The ground appears.  About this time my niece Brown was brought to be of her fifth child, a girl, who encreases the number of my living nephews & nieces to 43.

Snow drifted over hedges, & gates! Ring-doves, driven by hunger, come into John Hale’s garden, which is surrounded by houses! Black-birds, & thrushes die. A starving wigeon settled yesterday in the village, & was taken. Mention is made in the newspapers of several people that have perished in the snow. As Mr Ventris came from Faringdon, the drifted snow, being hard-frozen, bore his weight up to the tops of the stiles. The net hung over the cherry-trees is curiously coated over with ice.

The birds are so distressed, that ring-doves resort to my garden to crop the leaves of the bore-cole! blackbirds come down to the scullery door. Snow little abated.

Vast icicles on eaves.