December 1
Posted by sydney on Dec 1st, 2007
- 1792: December 1, 1792 – Thomas started a hare, which lay in her form under a cabbage, in the midst of my garden. It has begun to eat the tops of my pinks in many places. The land-springs, which begin to appear, are much abated.
- 1791: December 1, 1791 – Mr & Mrs Ed. White left us. The Hermitage, new capped with a coat of thatch, & embellished with a large cross, makes a very picturesq object on the hanger, & takes the eye agreeably.
- 1788: December 1, 1788 – Several wells in the village are dry, & some ponds in the neighbourhood. Well-head runs much as usual. There is a fine perennial spring at the bottom of Hasteds. Men cart earth, & marl from Clay’s pond.
- 1786: December 1, 1786 – The downs are very heavy.
- 1783: December 1, 1783 – Some ivy-berries are near full grown: others, & often on the same twig, just out of bloom. Farmer Lassam has more than 20 young lambs: some fallen some days, near a fortnight.
- 1782: December 1, 1782 – One of the keepers of Wolmer-forest sent me a peregrine falcon which he shot this day on the verge of the forest, as it was devouring wood-pigeon it had just taken. The Falco Peregrinus, or Haggard Falcon, mentioned in the last page but one, is a noble species of Hawk, seldom seen in the southern counties. In winter 1766 one was killed in the neighbouring parish of Faringdon, & sent by me to Mr Pennant in N. Wales. Since that time I have met with none till now. The specimen before me is in fine preservation, not being at all injured in the shooting. It measures 42 inches & upwards from wing to wing, & 21 from bill to tail, & weighs 2 pounds & an half standing weight. This species is very robust, & wonderfully formed for rapine: it’s breast is plump, & muscular: its thighs long, & thick, & brawny; it’s legs remarkably short, & well-set: the feet are armed with most formidable sharp talons. The eye-lids, & Cere of the bill are yellow, but the Irides of the eyes are dusky the bill is thick, & hooked, & of a dark colour, & has a jagged process near the end of the upper mandible on each side. It’s tail is short in proportion to it’s bulk but the wings tho’ long, when closed, fall short of the train. From it’s large & fair proportions it may be supposed to be a female. Probably it was driven from the mountains of N. Wales, or Scotland, where it is known to breed, by the late deep snows, & rigorous weather. The plumage answers well to Brit. zoology 4: vol: 1: p: 156. For a bird of prey, this was in high case; it’s intestines very fat. In it’s craw were many barley-corns, which probably came from the crop of the wood-pigeon on which it was feeding when shot. Voracious birds, when devouring their quarry, swallow feathers, & bones, & all parts indiscriminately.
- 1779: December 1, 1778 – Planted an old Newington-peach, & a Roman nectarine.
- 1777: December 1, 1777 – The brick-layers began to lay on the second coat of plaster in my new parlor.
- 1775: December 1, 1775 – Many species of flies come forth. Bats are out, & preying on phalaenae. The berries of Ivy, which blowed in the end of Sep: now half grown. A noble & providential supply for birds in winter & spring! for the first severe frost freezes, & spoils all the haws, sometimes by the middle of Novr. Ivy-berries do not seem to freeze. Large, grey, shell-less cellar snails lay themselves up about the same time with those that live abroad: hence it is plain that a defect of warmth alone is not the only causes that influences their retreat. The rudiments of the arbutus-fruit swell, & grow. Laurustines continue to blow.
- 1773: December 1, 1773 – Birds on the downs are rooks, larks, stone-chats, kites, gulls: some field-fares, some hawks.
- 1771: December 1, 1771 – Hot sun. Cloudless & still. Dark clouds to the S.W. Bats about.
- 1770: December 1, 1770 – Some oaks have yet some green leaves. Those oaks that were eaten bare by the chafers leafed about midsumr & continued unusally green late into Novemr.
- 1768: December 1, 1768 – Vast floods. Vast rain & stormy wind all night.
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