The Natural History of Selborne: With Observations on Various Parts of Nature and the Naturalist's CalendarBell & Daldy, 1872 - 416 pages |
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Page 307
... MARKWICK . ROOKS . - Rooks are continually fighting , and pulling each other's nests to pieces : ‡ these proceedings are inconsistent * Mr. Brown in his edition of the Natural History of Selborne says , that he has received from a ...
... MARKWICK . ROOKS . - Rooks are continually fighting , and pulling each other's nests to pieces : ‡ these proceedings are inconsistent * Mr. Brown in his edition of the Natural History of Selborne says , that he has received from a ...
Page 308
... MARKWICK . POULTRY . - Many creatures are endowed with a ready discernment to see what will turn to their own advantage and emolument ; and often discover more sagacity than could be expected . Thus , my neighbour's poultry watch for ...
... MARKWICK . POULTRY . - Many creatures are endowed with a ready discernment to see what will turn to their own advantage and emolument ; and often discover more sagacity than could be expected . Thus , my neighbour's poultry watch for ...
Page 308
... MARKWICK . HEN PARTRIDGE . - A hen partridge came out of a ditch , the year than the common fowl or even the pheasant , which latter , however , roosts in trees , but generally either in warm fir - trees , or in sheltered situations in ...
... MARKWICK . HEN PARTRIDGE . - A hen partridge came out of a ditch , the year than the common fowl or even the pheasant , which latter , however , roosts in trees , but generally either in warm fir - trees , or in sheltered situations in ...
Page 309
... MARKWICK . * Hen pheasants usually weigh only two pounds ten ounces . See the account by John Hunter , in the Philosophical Transact . Art . xxx . 1760 . " The subject of the account is a hen pheasant with the feathers of the cock . The ...
... MARKWICK . * Hen pheasants usually weigh only two pounds ten ounces . See the account by John Hunter , in the Philosophical Transact . Art . xxx . 1760 . " The subject of the account is a hen pheasant with the feathers of the cock . The ...
Page 317
... MARKWICK . GREAT SPECKLED DIVER , OR LOON . - As one of my neighbours was traversing Wolmer Forest , from Bramshot across the moors , he found a large uncommon bird fluttering in the heath , but not wounded , which he brought home alive ...
... MARKWICK . GREAT SPECKLED DIVER , OR LOON . - As one of my neighbours was traversing Wolmer Forest , from Bramshot across the moors , he found a large uncommon bird fluttering in the heath , but not wounded , which he brought home alive ...
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Common terms and phrases
abound animal appear April April 14 April 22 autumn beech birds of passage breed brood called chaffinches cold colour common cuckoo curious DAINES BARRINGTON DEAR district Edition eggs Engravings feed feet female fieldfares flies flocks forest frequently frost garden Gilbert White ground haunt hedges hirundines hirundo house-martins inches insects July July 13 July 22 June June 11 June 22 June 9 late legs LETTER Linnæus male manner March March 26 MARKWICK mentioned migration mild Motacilla natural history naturalist nest never night observed perhaps plants prey rain remarkable rooks says season seems SELBORNE Sept showers sings snow soon species spring stone curlew summer suppose swallows swifts THOMAS PENNANT tion titmouse Translated trees vast village vols weather WHITE wild wings winter Wolmer woods wren young
Popular passages
Page 134 - Part loosely wing the region, part more wise In common, ranged in figure wedge their way, Intelligent of seasons, and set forth Their airy caravan high over seas Flying, and over lands with mutual wing Easing their flight...
Page 256 - Qualis spelunca subito commota columba, Cui domus et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi, Fertur in arva volans, plausumque exterrita pennis 215 Dat tecto ingentem, mox aere lapsa quieto Radit iter liquidum, celeres neque commovet alas : Sic Mnestheus, sic ipsa fuga secat ultima Pristis Aequora, sic illam fert impetus ipse volantem.
Page 221 - For, to say nothing of half the birds, and some quadrupeds which are almost entirely supported by them, worms seem to be the great promoters of vegetation, which would proceed but lamely without them, by boring, perforating, and loosening the soil, and rendering it pervious to rains and the fibres of plants, by drawing straws and stalks of leaves...
Page 212 - ... anguish, and threatened with the loss of the use of the limb. Against this accident, to which they were continually liable, our provident forefathers always kept a shrew-ash at hand, which, when once medicated, would maintain its virtue for ever. A shrew-ash was made thus:* — Into the body of the tree, a deep hole was bored with an auger, and a poor devoted shrew-mouse was thrust in alive, and plugged in, no doubt, with several quaint incantations, long since forgotten.
Page 210 - ... his finger on the hives, and so take the bees as they came out. He has been known to overturn hives for the sake of honey, of which he was passionately fond. Where metheglin was making he would linger round the tubs and vessels, begging a draught of what he called bee-wine. As he ran about he used to make a humming noise with his lips, resembling the buzzing of bees. This lad was lean and sallow, and of a cadaverous complexion ; and, except in his favourite pursuit, in which he was wonderfully...
Page 106 - Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? Or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, And warmeth them in the dust, And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, Or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, As though they were not hers; Her labour is in vain without fear; Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, Neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
Page 246 - They are the housewife's barometer, foretelling her when it will rain; and are prognostics sometimes, she thinks, of ill or good luck, of the death of a near relation or the approach of an absent lover. By being the constant companions of her solitary hours they naturally become the objects of her superstition.