The Natural History of Selborne

Thistles begin to blow.  Young wheat-ears, birds so called.

Vast rain, cold wind.  Quite a winter’s day.

The less reed-sparrow, passer arundinaceus minor Raii, sings sweetly, imitating the notes of several birds: it haunts near waters, & sings all night long.  Cold weather: nothing grows well. St foin wants to be cut.  A distinct lunar rain-bow.

The bank-martin brings out its young: they were so helpless that we took one as it sate on a rail. Young swallows appear

If the bough of a vine be cut late in the spring just before the shoots push out, it will bleed miserably; but after the leaf is out any part may be taken off without the least inconvenience.  So oaks may be barked while the leaf is budding; but as soon as they are expanded the bark will no longer part from the wood; because the sap, that lubricates the bark & makes it part, is evaporated off thro’ the leaves.

Fern-owl chatters in ye hanger.

Thunder & rain in the night.  Fat sheep are shorn.  Young misslethrushes.

Sultry.  Thunder at a distance.  Mole-cricket churs.  Not one chaffer appears yet.

Flesh-flies buz about the room. Melon-fruit begins to blow.

Musca meridiana.  This fly smells strongly of musk.  White owls have young.