The Natural History of Selborne

A bat of the largest sort comes forth every evening, & flits about in the front of my brother’s house.  This is a very large species, & seldom seen.  See my history of Selburne.

A bat comes out many times in a day, even in sunshine to catch flies: it is probably a female that has young, & is hungry from giving suck: the swallows strike at the bat.

Many bats breed under the tiles of my house.  Five gallons, & one pint of brandy from London.

Five or six bats were flying round my chimnies at the dawn of the day.  Bats come forth at all times of the year when ye Thermr is at 50, because at such a temperament of the air Phalaenae are stirring, on which they feed.

Made jellies, & jams of red currans.  Gathered broad beans.  Mushrooms begin to come in Mr Edmd White’s avenue, under the Scotch firs.  The cat gets upon the roof, & catches young bats as they come forth from behind the sheet of lead at the bottom of the chimney.

My well sinks and is very low.  The tortoise begins to dig into the ground.  Mr Yalden fetches water from Well-head.  The bat is out this warm evening.

The bat is out.  Beetles hum.

When the thermr is at 50 flies & phalaenae come-out, & bats are often stirring.  Beetles flie.

Redwings on the hawthorns.  Bat appears.

Two great bats appear.  They feed high: are very rare in Hants, & Sussex.  Low fog.