The Natural History of Selborne

The thermometer for three or four days past has stood in the shade at Newton at 79, & 80.

My lower wall nut-tree casts it’s leaves in a very unusual manner.  No wall-nuts; the crop dropped off early in the summer.

Several of my neighbours went up the Hill (this being the day of the great review at Bagshot heath) whence they heard distinctly the discharges from the ordnance, & small arms, & saw the clouds of smoke from the guns.  The wind being N.E. they smelled, or seemed to smell, the scent of the gunpowder.  Wickham bushes, the scene of action, is more than 20 miles from hence.  The crouds of people assembled upon this occasion were great beyond anything seen at such meetings!

The guns at the camp on Bagshot Heath were heard distinctly this evening.

Floods out in several parts of the kingdom, & much hay & corn destroyed. Young buzzards follow their dams with a piping, wailing noise.

The young Hirundines begin to congregate on the tower.  How punctual are these birds in all their proceedings!

Mr Churton left us, & went to Waverley.

Heavy showers.  Apples fall much.  The well at Temple is 77 feet deep: 60 to the water, & 17 afterward.  My well measures only 63 feet.

This cool, shady summer is not good for mens fallows, which are heavy, & weedy. Lettuces have not loaved, or bleached well this summer.

Preserved some cherries. My meadow-hay was carried, in decent order. As we were coming from Newton this evening, on this side of the Money-dells, a cock Fern-owl came round us, & showed himself in a very amusing manner, whistling, or piping as he flew. Whenever he settled on the turf, as was often the case, Mr Churton went, & sprung him, & brought him round again. He did not clash his wings over his back, so as to make them snap. At the top of the Bostal we found a bat hawking for moths. Fern-owls & bats are rivals in their food, commanding each great powers of wing, & contending who shall catch the phalaenae of the evening.