The Natural History of Selborne

Now the meadow is cleared, the brood-swallows sweep the face of the ground all day long; & from over that smooth surface collect a variety of insects for the support of their young.

Gathered our first beans, long pods.  Planted-out annuals.

Grasshopper-lark whispers in my outlet.  Turned the cocks of hay.

The woman, who brought me two fern-owl eggs last year on July 14, on this day produced me two more one of which had been laid this morning, as appears plainly, because there was only one in the nest the evening before. They were found, as last July, on the verge of the down above the hermitage, under a beechen shrub on the naked ground. Last year those eggs were full of young, & just ready to be hatched. The circumstances point out the exact time when these curious nucturnal, migratory birds lay their eggs and hatch their young. Fern-owls, like snipes, stone-curlews, & some other birds, make no nest. Birds that build on the ground do not make much of nests.

My hay made into small cocks.  Young swallows come out, & are fed on the wing.  Wood straw-berries ripen.

Two heavy showers at Guildford with thunder.