The Natural History of Selborne

Housed all the billet-wood in dry, good order.  Covered the lettuce under the fruit-wall with straw.

Sam White was chosen by the favour of the Provost & fellows of Oriel Coll: Bishop Robinson’s Exhibitioner.  This advantage will last him three years, ’till he takes his Mrs. degree.

The stream at Fyfield encreases very fast.  Spent three hours of this day, viz. from one o’ the clock till four, in the midst of the downs between Andover & Winton, where we should have suffered greatly from cold & hunger, had not the day proved very fine, & had not we been opposite to the house of Mr Treadgold’s down farm, where we were hospitably entertained by the labourer’s wife with cold sparerib, & good bread, & cheese, & ale, while the driver went back to Andover to fetch a better horse.  The case was, the saddle-horse being new to his business, became jaded and restiff, & would not stir an inch; but was soon kept in countenance by the shaft-horse, who followed his example: so we were quite set-up ’till four o’ the clock, when an other driver arrived with an other lean jaded horse, & with much difficulty assisted in dragging us to Winton, which we did not reach toll six in the evening.  We set out from Fyfield at eleven; so were were seven hours in getting 19 miles.  During our long conversation with the dame, we found that this lone farm-house & it’s buildings, tho’ so sequestered from all neighbourhood, & so far removed from all streams & water, are much annoyed with Norway rats: the carter also told us that about 12 years ago he had seen a flock of 18 bustards at one time on that farm, & once since only two.  This is the only habitation to be met with on theses downs between Whorwel & Winchester.

The late hard winters killed the extreamities of my wall-nut trees, so that they have borne no fruit since: but the same severe seasons killed many of the fyfield wall-nut trees down to the ground.

The Fyfield players performed Richard the Third.

Rain, blowing, & showers.  Stormy, hail.  Red, turbid N. Aurora.  Bror Henry’s grapes did not ripen well.

Saw several grey crows on the downs between Winchester, & Andover; & four pheasants feeding at the corner of Whorwel-wood.  Green wheat beautiful on the downs, but not forward sown.  The Fyfield Comedians performed Much Ado About Nothing, with the Romp.

Several wood-cocks in Harteley wood: they are in poor condition.

Farmer Hoar saw one cock ring-ouzel at Nore hill.

Split-out the great Monk’s-rhubarb plant into 7, or 8 heads, & planted them in a bed that they may produce stalks for tarts in the spring.  The N. Aurora makes a particular appearance forming itself into a broad, red fiery belt, which extended from E. to W. across the welkin: but th moon rising, at about 10 o’ the clock, in unclouded majesty on the E. put an end to this grand, but aweful, meteorous phenomenon.