The Natural History of Selborne

Mrs. J. White returns.

Paths get dry.  Sowed a bed of radishes, & carrots under the fruit-wall.

War declared & letters of Marque granted against the french Republic.

Mrs. J. White set out for Kingston on Thames.

Venus is very bright, & shadows.

A strong gust in the night blew down the rain-gage, which, by the appearance in the tubs, must have contained a considerable quantity of water.

The Republic of France declares war against England & Holland.

Bees come out, & gather on the snow-drops.

Thrush sings, the song-thrush: the missle-thrush has not been heard.  On this day Louis 16th late king of France, was beheaded at Paris, & his body flung into a deep grave without any coffin, or funeral service performed.

Rime on the hanger.  Mr Marsham, who lives near Norwich, writes me word, that a servant of his shot a bird last autumn near his house that was quite new to him.  Upon examination it appeared to him, & to me to answer the description of the Certhia muraria, the Wall-creeper, a bird little know, but some times seen in England.  Ray, & Willoughby never met with it, nor did I ever find it wild, or among the vast collections exhibited in London; but Scopoli had a specimen in his Museum, & says it is to be found in Carniola.  It haunts towers, & castles, & ruins, some times frequents towns, running up the walls of tall houses, & searching the crannies, & chinks for spiders, & other insects.  Some of the internal wing-feathers are beautifully marked on the inner web with two white, or pale yellow spots; & the middle of the outer web edged with red.  Two of these quills, drawn in water-colours, by a young Lady, & charmingly executed, were sent me by Mr Marsham in a frank: the pencilling of these specimens is truly delicate, soft, & feathery.  It is much to be regretted that she did not draw the whole bird.  The claws of this bird are strong & large, says Linnaeus, & Mr Marsham; & especially the hind claw.