The Natural History of Selborne

Set up again my stone dial, blown down many years ago, on a thick Portland-slap in the angle of the terrass.  The column is very old, came from Sarson house near Amport, & was hewn from the quarries of Chilmarke.  The dial was regulated by my meridian line.

Some woodcocks shot on the Barnet lately.

Gave away many stone-less berberries: the tree every year bears vast burdens.

Much peat carried thro’ the village.

Much wheat is sown.  The fallows are very dry; & the roads as clean as in summer.

Leaves fall.  The pound field is sown with American wheat.

Bror. T. White planted two Lombardy poplars in the corners of the pound: & a Sycomore on the Plestor near the pound.

Vast quntities of gossamer: the fields are covered with it: “slow thro’ the air/The gossamer-floats; or stretch’d from blade to blade/ The wavy net-work whitens all the fields.”

Women & children go a-acorning, & sell their acorns at one shilling pr bushel.

Nailed-up a Greek, & an Italian inscription on the front of the alcove on ye hanger.  Boys took a large round wasps nest in the Ewel, nearly as large as a gallon measure.  Several martins round the church.  Many flies on the tower, which come out from the belfry to sun themselves.