The Natural History of Selborne

The weather has been so harsh, that the swallows, & martins are not disposed to build.  Found a hen redstart dead in the walks.

Fly-catcher returns.  The fern-owl, or eve-jar returns, & is heard in the hanger.  These birds are the last summer-birds of passage: when they appear we hope the summer will soon be established.

Saw a flie-catcher in the vicarage, I think.

Flesh flies get to be troublesome: hung out the meat-safe.  Mrs Clements &c. left us.

Ashen shoots injured by the late frosts, & kidney-beans & potatoe-sprouts killed.

The down of willows floats in the air, conveying, & spreading about their seeds, & affording some birds a soft lining for their nests.

Vast bloom on my nonpareils.  The orchard is mown for the horses.  Cut the stalks of garden rhubarb to make tarts: the plants are very strong.

The bloom on my white apple is again very great.  Set the middle Bantam hen with eleven eggs: the cook desired that there might be an odd one.

Planted some tricolor violets, & some red cabbages sent from South Lambeth.

Dark & harsh.