The Natural History of Selborne

One swift, perhaps a pair, going in & out of the eaves of the church.  Why do these linger behind the rest, which have withdrawn some days?  have they a backward brood delayed by some accident?

We have shot 31 black-birds, and saved our gooseberries.

Every ant-hill is in a strange hurry & confusion; & all the winged ants, agitated by some violent impulse, are leaving their homes; &, bent on emigration, swarm by myriads in the air, to the great emoulment of the hirundines, which fare luxuriously.  Those that escape the swallows return no more to their nests, but looking out for new retreats, lay a foundation for future colonies.  All the females at these times are pregnant.

Small scuds of rain.  No rain to measure since July 14.  On this day a bloody & obstinate engagement happened between Admiral Hyde Parker, & a Dutch fleet off the Dogger-bank.

Now the ants, male, female, & workers, come forth from under my stairs by thousands.

The honey-bees suck the goose-berries, where the birds have broke the skin.

The ants, male, female, & workers, come forth from under my stairs by thousands.

Timothy comes-out but a little, while the weather is so hot: he skulks among the carrots, & cabbages.  Red-breasts eat the berries of the honey-suckle.

Gleaners bring home bundles of corn.  The black-birds, & thrushes come from the woods in troops to plunder my garden.  We shot 30 blackbirds, & thrushes.  The white-throats are bold thieves; nor are the red-breasts at all honest with respect to currans.  Birds are guided by colour, & do not touch any white fruits ’til they have cleared all the red; they eat the red grapes, rasps, currans, & goose-berries first.

The blackbirds & thrushes, that have devoured all the wild cherries in the meadow, now begin to plunder the garden.