The Natural History of Selborne

Wild daffodil, photo by Martin Hirtreiter

• 1793: March 3, 1793 – The wind last night blowed-off some tiles from my roof.  This storm did much mischief about the kingdom.
• 1791: March 3, 1791 – Sent me by Lord Stawell a Sea-mall, or Gull, & a Coccothraustes, or Gross-beak: the latter is seldom seen in England, & only in the winter.
• 1790: March 3, 1790 – Sheep turned into the wheat.
• 1788: March 3, 1788 – A squirrel in my hedges.
• 1786: March 3, 1786 – Netted the wall-cherry-trees, to preserve the buds from the finches.
• 1782: March 3, 1782 – Daffodil opens.  Missel-thrush sings.
• 1778: March 3, 1778 – Turkey-cock struts & gobbles.
• 1775: March 3, 1775 – Rooks begin to build.  They began the same day at Fyfield.  Swine & sheep, for such large quadrupeds, become prolific very early; since a sow at four months old requires the boar: & ram-lambs, which fall in Jan. & Feb. if well kept, will supply the wants of their own dams by the following Octobr, & beget lambs for the next year.  Horses & kine seldom procreate ’til they are two years old.
• 1771: March 3, 1771 – Rain, dark & raw.  Considerable rain in the night.  Harsh wind.