The Natural History of Selborne

Mowed some of the grass-walks!  Farmer Lassam cuts some of his lambs: they are near a month old.

Some ivy-berries are near full grown: others, & often on the same twig, just out of bloom.  Farmer Lassam has more than 20 young lambs: some fallen some days, near a fortnight.

The farmers have long since sown all their wheat, & ploughed-up most of their wheat-stubbles.

The stream in Gracious-street runs, after having been dry for many months.

Winter is established.

“Fled is the blasted verdure of the fields;
And, shrunk into their beds, the flowery race/
Their sunny robes resign. E’en what remain’d/
Of stronger fruits falls from the naked tree/
And woods, fields, gardens, orchards, all around/
The desolated prospect thrills the soul.”

Thomson’s Autumn

Wind all night.  At Selborne, a storm at 11 A:M:  Sea-gulls abound on the Alresford-stream: they frequent those waters for many months in the year.

Mr Mulso’s grapes at his prebendal-house are in paper bags: but the daws descend from the Cathedral, break open the bags, & eat the fruit.  Looked sharply for house-martins along the chalk-cliff at Wharel, but none appeared.  On Novr 3rd 1782: I saw several at that place.

This country swarms with pigeons from dove-houses.  Millers complain for want of water.

My niece of Alton (Clement) was brought to bed of a girl.  This child makes my 40th nephew & niece, all living; Mr Clement, & Mr Brown inclusive.

A chaced hind ran thro’ the parish, & was taken at Penton.  She ran but two hours the ground being too hard for her feet.  She was carryed home in a cart to Grateley.