The Natural History of Selborne

My Bro: has brewed a barrel of strong beer with his hordeum nudum.  My Brother’s hordeum nudum is very large and forward, and has a broad blade like wheat: it is now spindling for ear, & the tops of the ears appear.  It will be much forwarder than the common barley.  Swifts squeak much.

* The swifts that dash round churches & towers in little parties, seem to me to be the cock-birds: they never squeak ’til they come close to the walls or eaves, & possibly then are seranading their females, who are close in their nests attending to the business of incubation.  Swifts keep out the latest of any birds, never going to roost in the longest days ’til about a quarter before nine.  Just before they retire they squeak & dash & shoot about with wonderful rapidity.  Thy are stirring at least seventeen hours when the days are longest.