The Natural History of Selborne

Dug up potatoes: earthed up celeri.  Gathered knobbed russetings, a large crop.  Our building-sand from Wolmer-forest seems pure from dirt: but examined thro’ a microscope proves not to be sharp, & angular, but smooth as from collision.  It is of a yellow colour.  “The amazing number of swallows that at this time are flying in London, is a very uncommon appearance.  They seem greatly affected by the severe cold weather we have experienced for some days past, since the wind has been northerly; they fly in at windows, & are so tamed or numbed, that boys beat them down, as they fly in the streets.”  The Gazetteer