The Natural History of Selborne

Colchicums, or naked boys appear.

Cut 43 cucumbers.  Wheat is binding.  Blackstonia perfoliata, yellow centory, blossoms, on the right hand bank up the North field hill.  The Gentiana perfoliata Lannaei.  It is to be found in the marl-dell half way along the N. field lane on the left; on the dry bank of a narrow field between the N. field hill, & the Fore down; & on the banks of the Fore down.

Some wheat is out.  Trimming has a large field not cut.  Gentiana Amarella, autumnal gentian, or fell-wort, buds for bloom on the hill.  Sent 12 plants of Ophrys spiralis to Mr Curtis of Lambeth marsh.

Ophrys spiralis, ladies traces, in bloom the long Lythe, & on top of the short Lythe.  Wasps seize on butter-flies, &, shearing off their wings, carry their bodies home as food for their young: they prey much on flies.

Colchicum autumnale, naked boys, blows.  Wheat-harvest goes on finely.

Monotropa Hypopithys abounds in the hanger beyond Maiden dance, opposite to coney-croft hanger.

Sedum Telephim, orpine, & Hypericum Androsaemum, tutsan, growing in Emshot lane leading to Hawkey mill.

Anthericum ossifragum, Lancashire asphodel, a beautiful plant, found by Mr Barker in bloom among the bogs of Womer forest.  Monotropa Hypobithys blossoms on the hanger.  Thistles begin to blow.  The naked part of the hanger is now covered with thistles; but mostly with the carduus lanceolatus.  There are also the carduus nutans, the musk thistle; carduus crispus, the thistle on the thistle; carduus palustris, the marsh-thistle, The seeds of these thistles may have lain probably under the thick shade of the beeched for many Years; but could not vegetate till the sun & air were admitted.

Colchicum, autumnal crocus, emerges, & blows.

Fetched some mulleins, foxgloves, & dwarf-laurels from the high-wood & hanger; & planted them in the garden.