The Natural History of Selborne

Nep. Ben came.  The beeches on the hanger, now in full leaf, when shone down on by the sun about noon, exhibit the most lovely lights & shades, not to be expressed by the most masterly pencil.  The hops are infested by the Chrysomela oleracea, called by the country people the turnip-fly, or black dolphin, which eats holes in their leaves.  This species is– “saltatoria, femoribus posticis carssissimis”:– “chrysomelae saltatoria plantarum cotyledonibus, & benellis foliis infestae sunt.” Linn:

Cut the first mesh of asparagus.  The bloom of plums is very great.  Peat-carting begins.

The Fern-owl, or Goat-sucker chatters in the hanger  This curious bird is never heard till warm weather comes: it is the latest summer bird except the fly-catcher.

Beat the grass-banks in the garden.  Put up the urns.  Martins come into old nests.  Bat out.  Nightingale in my out-let.  Snails come out.

The long frost of last winter has proved very destructive to pond-fish the kingdom over, except in those pools & lakes thro’ which passed a constant current of water: nor did the expedient of breaking holes in the ice avail.  Mr Barker, who has been writing an account of the late frost, thinks that it did mischief.  A current of water introduces a constant current of fresh air, which refreshes continually the air of the pools & ponds, & renders it fit for respiration.

Brother Thomas White, & daughter, & little Tom came.

Scarce a hirundo has been seen about this village.

Timothy the tortoise beings to eat dandelion.

Showers, windy.  One beech in the hanger shows some foliage.

This morning I saw a certificate from the town of Wymburn Mistner in the country of Dorset to the parish of Selborne, acknowledging William Dewye to be parishioner of the said town.  This paper is dated Apr. 20, 1729: so that Will: Dewye, & wife, both still living, have been certificate people here exactly 60 years.