The Natural History of Selborne

The woman, who brought me two fern-owl eggs last year on July 14, on this day produced me two more one of which had been laid this morning, as appears plainly, because there was only one in the nest the evening before. They were found, as last July, on the verge of the down above the hermitage, under a beechen shrub on the naked ground. Last year those eggs were full of young, & just ready to be hatched. The circumstances point out the exact time when these curious nucturnal, migratory birds lay their eggs and hatch their young. Fern-owls, like snipes, stone-curlews, & some other birds, make no nest. Birds that build on the ground do not make much of nests.

My hay made into small cocks.  Young swallows come out, & are fed on the wing.  Wood straw-berries ripen.

Two heavy showers at Guildford with thunder.

Roses make a beautiful show.  Orange-lillies blossom.  Sr George Wheeler’s tutsan blows.

Thermometer at Mr Alexander’s– 87 on a N. wall; at S. wall near.  Fruit-walls in the sun are so hot that I cannot bear my hand on them.  Bror Thos’ thermr was 89 on an E. wall in the afternoon.

*Much damage done, & some persons killed by lightening on this sultry day.  My Bro. Thos’s thermr in Blackfriars road against an eastern wall in the afternoon was 89.  My thermomr after the sun was got round upon it, was 100: Thomas forgot to look in time.

Scarlet-straw-berries good. A small praecox melon. The longest day:

“The longest daye in time resignes to nighte;
The greatest oke in time to duste doth turne;
The Raven dies; the Egle failes of flighte;
The Phoenix rare in time herselfe doth burne;
The princelie stagge at lenghte his race doth ronne;
And all must ende that ever was begonne.”

Geffrey Whitney’s Emblemmes; p. 230, 1586

Muck laid on a gardener’s field poisons my Brother’s outlet.  A martin at Stockwell chapel has built its nest against the window: it seems to stick firmly to the glass, and has no other support.  In former summers I remember similar instances.

My brother finishes a large rick of hay in very nice order.

Sweet hay-making weather.

Aritchokes, & chardons, come into eating.  Cucumbers abound.