The Natural History of Selborne

Stock-dove, or wood-pigeon appears.  Redwing appears.

Seed-clover cutting.  A ring-ouzel was shot in the high wood with a russet gorget, & russet spots on its wings.  Three or four more were seen.

Grapes are very curious.

Hares abound, but pheasants are very scarce this year.  One of the vines to the S.W. casts its leaves & looks sickly.

Began levelling my grass-plot & walks at the garden-door, & bringing them down to the level of the floor of my house.

Woodlark sings.  Great titmouse reassumes it’s spring note.

Fog, rain, fog, fog.  Saw several martins at Dorchester in Oxfordshire round the church.  It is remarkable that the swallow kind appear full as late in the midland counties, as in the maritime: a circumstance this more favourable to hiding than to migration.  As it proved these martins were the last that I saw.

No swallows or martins observed.

Venus has become an evening star. Vivid Aurora bor.

Mr Yalden finished his barley-harvest, some of which had been cut more than six weeks. In general the grain is not spoiled, but by drying & frequent turning in a floor will be tolerable.