The Natural History of Selborne

• 1792: August 28, 1792 – Men make wheat-ricks.  Mr Hale’s rick fell. Vivid rain-bow.
• 1789: August 28, 1789 – Colchicum autumnale, naked boys, blows.  Wheat-harvest goes on finely.
• 1788: August 28, 1788 – A bat comes out many times in a day, even in sunshine to catch flies: it is probably a female that has young, & is hungry from giving suck: the swallows strike at the bat.
• 1785: August 28, 1785 – Boys bring the 22nd, 23,rd, & 24th wasps nest.  Many wasps at the plum-trees.
• 1782: August 28, 1782 – Wheat grows as it lies: & the lodged wheat uncut is in a bad state.
• 1780: August 28, 1780 – There were at the King’s house at Winton 1600 Spanish prisoners; rather small men, & some very swarthy: here & there a fairish lad.
• 1776: August 28, 1776 – The tortoise eats voraciously: is particularly fond of kidney-beans.  Vast halo round the moon.
• 1773: August 28, 1773 – Some few grapes begin to turn red.  Peaches begin to ripen & are large & good.  Nectarines look well: they are ruddy & very large.
• 1771: August 28, 1771 – Dark, grey, & soft.  People bind their wheat.
• 1769: August 28, 1769 – Much wheat abroad in this parish.  Plums and pears crack with the rain.

The Spanish prisoners were I suppose taken in a naval affair during the War of American Independence, but I’m drawing a blank on “the King’s House at Winton”. There’s a stately home by that name near Edinburgh, but that was never a Royal palace; and a logical-sounding parish of Winton near Bournemouth, which however only aquired that name much later. If anyone can shed light o incident, please use the contact form– I’ve had to close comments after a sudden onslaught of spam. Apologies as well for the continued shabiness of the site– I’ve had a much busier summer than anticipated.