The Natural History of Selborne

Red-breasts have young.

Farmer Knight brought me 1/2 a ton of good meadow-hay.

My hay is out.  Many cock-pheasants are heard to crow on Wick-hill farm. We have a large stock of partridges left to breed-round the parish.

Grass lamb.  Timothy, if you offer him some poppy leaves, will eat a little; but does not seek for food.

The voice of the cuckow is heard in the hanger.

Slipped out & planted many doz. of good polyanths.  Young Geo: Tanner shot a water-ouzel, merula aquatica, near Ja: Knight’s ponds.  This is the first bird of the sort that was ever observed in this parish.  This bird, being only pinioned, was caught alive, & put into a cage, to which it soon became reconciled; & is fed with woodlice, & small snails.  W: ouzels are very common in the mountainous parts of the N. of England, & in N. Wales.  They haunt rocky streams, & water-falls; & tho’ not web-footed often dive into currents in pursuit of insects.

Sowed holly-hocks, columbines, & sweet Williams.

Men sow clover in their wheat.

Sowed a box of polyanth seeds, of our own saving.

Timothy the tortoise, after a fast of more tha five months, weighs 6 ae. 12 oz. 11 dr. Some sow in Shalden lanes.  Cromn Imperial blows.