The Natural History of Selborne

Mistletoe from Kohler’s Medicinal Plants, 1887

• 1792: December 16, 1792 – The season has been so mild that the Antirrhinum Cymb. still flourishes, & continues in bloom.
• 1791: December 16, 1791 – Swept-up the leaves in the walks.
• 1790: December 16, 1790 – Thatch torn by the wind.
• 1786: December 16, 1786 – The walks in my fields are strewed with the berries of misseltoe, blown from the hedges.
• 1784: December 16, 1784 – Titmice pull the moss off the from trees in search for insects.
• 1782: December 16, 1782 – A hare frequents the garden, & eats the celeri-tops, the spinage, young cabbages, pinks, scabious’s, &c.
• 1780: December 16, 1780 – A plant of missel-toe grows on a bough of the medlar: it abounds on my hedges on the maple.  The air is full of Insects.  Turkies strut & gobble.  Many young lambs at the Priory.
• 1777: December 16, 1777 – One black rat was killed at Shalden some months ago, & esteemed a great curiosity.  The Norway rats destroy all the indigenous ones.
• 1773: December 16, 1773 – They, the shepherds, do not take any wheatears W. of Houghton bridge.
• 1772: December 16, 1772 – Missel-thrush, or storm cock sings.  Polyanth and annual stock blow.