The Natural History of Selborne

Larches turn yellow; ash leaves fall; the hanger gets thin; my tall hedges finely diversifyed.

The hanger is beatifully tinged.  Leaves fall apace.  Dug up carrots.  Many flesh-flies: here & there a wasp.  The cat frolicks, & plays with the falling leaves.

The walks begin to be strewed with leaves.  Vivid Northern Aurora.

Nuthatches rap about on the trees.  Crocuss begins to sprout.  The leaves of the medlar-tree are now turned of a bright yellow.  On of the first trees that becomes naked is the wall-nut: the mulberry, & the ash, especially if it bears many keys, and hte Horse-chestnut come next.  All lopped trees, while their heads are young, carry their leaves a long while.  Apple-trees & peaches remain green ’til very late, often ’til the end of Novr: young beeches never cast their leaves ’til spring, ’til the new leaves sprout & push them off: in the autumn the beechen-leaves turn of a deep chestnut color.  Tall beeches cast their leaves towards the end of Octr.  Magpies sometimes, I see, perch on the backs of sheep, & pick the lice & ticks out of their wool; nay, mount on their very heads; while those meek quadrupeds seem pleased, & stand perfectly still, little aware that their eyes are in no small danger; & that their assiduous friends would be glad of an opportunity of picking their bones.