The Natural History of Selborne

Damson, sloe-trees, & wild Merise blow.  Cock Red start.  There has been so little frost, that the Antirrhinum Cymb. flourished & blossomed the whole winter thro’, & is now very thriving, tho’ it usually dies about Xmass.  So that, in mild times, it is at least a biennial with us, & may be perhaps of longer duration in milder regions.  James Knight has observed two large fieldfares in the high wood lately, haunting the same part, as if they intended to breed there  They are not wild.  A nest of this sort of bird would be a great curiosity.

Some beeches begin to show leaves.  Sowed some fine Savoy seed from Newton.  Hen red-start appears.

Timothy eats.  A pair of Missel-thrushes have made a nest in the apple-tree near the fruit-wall.  One young half-fledged was found in the garden.

Sad, blowing, wintry weather.  I think I saw an house martin.  There is a bird of the black-bird kind, with white on the breast, that haunts my outlet as if it had a nest there.  Is this a ring-ouzel?  If it is, it must be a great curiosity; because they have not been known to breed in these parts.

Saw two swallows at Gracious street.

I have seen no hirundo yet myself.  Sowed Columbines, two sorts; Scabius; Scarlet lychnis; Nigella; 10 weeks stocks; Mountain Lychnis.

Wall-flowers full of bloom, & very fine.  Nightingales in my fields.

Men begin to pole their hops.  Mountain snow-drop blows.

When Thomas got up to brew at four o’ the clock, he heard some stone-curlews pass by over the house in their way to the uplands.  In the evening they flie over the village downwards, towards the brook, & meadows, where they seem to spend the night.

Mowed the terrace.  Cut the first cucumber.  Pulled the first radishes.  A swallow over my meadow.