The Natural History of Selborne: With Observations on Various Parts of Nature and the Naturalist's CalendarBell & Daldy, 1870 - 416 pages |
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Page 78
... April . I must not omit to tell you ( as you have been so lately on * Before migrating to their winter quarters , and often ere the duties of incubation are over , they leave their mountainous haunts , and descend to the nearest gardens ...
... April . I must not omit to tell you ( as you have been so lately on * Before migrating to their winter quarters , and often ere the duties of incubation are over , they leave their mountainous haunts , and descend to the nearest gardens ...
Page 84
... April , if the season be not uncom- monly cold , the Whip - poor - will is heard in Pennsylvania , in the evening , as the dusk of twilight commences , or in the morning , as soon as dawn has broke . The notes of this solitary bird ...
... April , if the season be not uncom- monly cold , the Whip - poor - will is heard in Pennsylvania , in the evening , as the dusk of twilight commences , or in the morning , as soon as dawn has broke . The notes of this solitary bird ...
Page 88
... April , I went to the sheep - down , where the ring - ousels have been observed to make their appearance at spring and fall , in their way , perhaps , to the north or south ; and was much pleased to see three birds about the usual spot ...
... April , I went to the sheep - down , where the ring - ousels have been observed to make their appearance at spring and fall , in their way , perhaps , to the north or south ; and was much pleased to see three birds about the usual spot ...
Page 93
... April . Middle of April . Ditto : a note . Do. : sweet plaintive mean note ; sings on till September . Ditto more agreeable song . End of March : loud noc- turnal whistle . Middle of April : a small sibilous note , till the end of July ...
... April . Middle of April . Ditto : a note . Do. : sweet plaintive mean note ; sings on till September . Ditto more agreeable song . End of March : loud noc- turnal whistle . Middle of April : a small sibilous note , till the end of July ...
Page 94
... April , on the tops of high beeches . Beginning of May : chatters by night with a singular noise . May 12. A very mute bird : this is the latest summer bird of passage . This assemblage of curious and amusing birds belongs to ten ...
... April , on the tops of high beeches . Beginning of May : chatters by night with a singular noise . May 12. A very mute bird : this is the latest summer bird of passage . This assemblage of curious and amusing birds belongs to ten ...
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Common terms and phrases
abound animal appear April April 14 April 22 autumn bees birds of passage breed brood called chaffinches cold colour common cuckoo curious DAINES BARRINGTON DEAR district dogs eggs feed feet female fieldfares fields flies flocks forest frequently frost garden Gilbert White grass ground haunt 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 morning naturalist nest never night observed perhaps plants prey quadrupeds rain remarkable rooks says season seems seen SELBORNE Sept showers sings snow soon species spring stone curlew strange summer suppose swallows swifts tail THOMAS PENNANT titmouse trees vast village vols weather WHITE wild wings winter wonder woods wren young
Popular passages
Page 296 - Less than archangel ruined, and the excess Of glory obscured ; as when the sun, new risen, Looks through the horizontal misty air Shorn of his beams, or from behind the moon, In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs.
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 146 - I saw it distinctly, more than once, put out its short leg while on the wing, and by a bend of the head, deliver somewhat into its mouth. If it takes any part of its prey with its foot, as I have now the greatest reason to suppose it does these chafers, I no longer wonder at the use of its middle toe, which is curiously furnished with a serrated claw...
Page 33 - Now scarcely moving through a reedy pool, Now starting to a sudden stream, and now Gently diffus'd into a limpid plain ; A various group the herds and flocks compose, Rural confusion ! on the grassy bank Some ruminating lie ; while others stand Half in the flood, and often bending, sip The circling surface.