The Natural History of Selborne

Sultry & gloomy.  Wasps abound.

The working-wasps are very small, perhaps half starved in their larva-state for want of pears, plums, etc.

Cold, white dew, sun, brisk air, clouds about, sun breaks out.  Destroyed a small wasp’s-nest: the combs were few, but full of young.

‘Til now the whole month of Aug. has been dry and pleasant.  The evenings begin to feel chilly.

Finished tiling the new parlor in good dry condition just before the rain came.  The wall & timbers will be in much better order for this circumstance.  * The pair of martins brought-out all their young August 26: they still roost in the nest.  The nest was begun June 21.  Woolmer-forest produces young teals, & young large snipes; but never, that we can find, any young jack-snipes.

The large winged female ants, after they have wandered from their nests lose their wings & settle new colonies: are in their flying state food for birds, particulary hirundines.  No wasps: & if there were, there is no fruit for them.

A spotted water-hen shot in the forest.

White butter-flies settle on wet mud in crowds.  *No swift seen after August 14: so punctual are they in their migrations, or retreat!  The latest swift I ever saw was only once on Aug. 21, but they often withdraw by the 10.

Male & female ants come forth & migrate in vast troops: every ant-hill is in strange commotion & hurry.  The pair of martins which began to build on June 21 brought-out their brood this day in part:  (the rest remain in the nest, Aug 17)

Flocks of lap-wings migrate to the downs & uplands.