The Natural History of Selborne

Began to light fires in the parlor.  Aurora.

The well at Filmer-hill is 60 yards deep: at Privet, on the top of the hill, they have no wells, & have been greatly distressed for water the summer thro’.  The Warnford, & Meonstoke stream as full, & bright, as if there had been no drought.

Hooker’s-hill mended by Tom Prior: the ditch below which was made about fifty years ago, is now open’d and cleaned.

The Well is now so low, that Thomas found some difficulty in getting water sufficient to Brew with.

Fly-catchers seem to be gone; they breed but once.

The boys destroyed a hornets nest: it was but small.  Ophrys spiralis, ladies traces, seed.

Thunder & lightening in all quarters round.  The spring called Well-head sends forth now, after a severe hot dry summer, & dry spring & winter preceeding, nine gallons of water in a minute; which is 540 in an hour; & 12960, or 216 hogsh. in 24 hours, or one natural day.  At this time the wells are very low, & all the ponds in the vales dry.

Timothy the tortoise dull & torpid.

Beans heavy.

Bean-harvest & vetch harvest.