The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne. With Observations on Various Parts of Nature and The Naturalist's Calendar ...Routledge, 1880 - 475 pages |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
abound animals appear April August autumn birds birds of prey bishop Bishop of Winchester breed brood called canons chaffinches church cloth cold colour common cuckoo curious dark DEAR district edition eggs Fcap February feet female fieldfares forest garden Gilbert White ground Hanger hard frost haunt hirundines hirundo house-martins insects January July July 13 July 22 June June 17 June 9 Knights Templars larvæ late legs LETTER Linnæus Magdalen College male manner March MARKWICK migration mild natural history nest never night November observed parish perhaps pheasant plants ponds priory of Selborne probably rain remarkable rooks says season seems seen Selborne Sept September sings snow species spring stone-curlew summer suppose swallow swarm swift titmouse trees vast village warm weather White wild wings winter Wolmer woods young
Popular passages
Page 226 - Swinging slow with sullen roar; Or if the air will not permit, Some still removed place will fit, Where glowing embers through the room Teach light to counterfeit a gloom, Far from all resort of mirth, Save the cricket on the hearth, Or the bellman's drowsy charm To bless the doors from nightly harm.
Page 325 - And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
Page 132 - ... a loaded cart, yet does it discover as much solicitude about rain as a lady dressed in all her best attire, shuffling away on the first sprinklings, and running its head up in a corner. If attended to it becomes an excellent weather-glass: for as sure as it walks elate, and as it were on tiptoe, feeding with great earnestness in a morning, so sure will it rain before night.
Page xxi - ... the fatal day arrived in which the wood was to be levelled. It was in the month of February, when those birds usually sit. The saw was applied to the butt, the wedges were inserted into the opening, the woods echoed to the heavy blows of the beetle or mallet, the tree nodded to its fall ; but still the dam sat on. At last, when it gave way, the bird was flung from her nest; and, though her parental affection deserved a better fate, was whipped down by the twigs, which brought her dead to the...
Page 266 - July 2Oth inclusive, during which period the wind varied to every quarter without making any alteration in the air. The sun, at noon, looked as blank as a clouded moon, and shed a rust-coloured ferruginous light on the ground, and floors of rooms ; but was particularly lurid and bloodcoloured at rising and setting. All the time the heat was so intense that butchers...
Page 180 - As soon as the operation was over, the tree in the suffering part was plastered with loam, and carefully swathed up. If the parts coalesced and soldered together, as usually fell out, where the feat was performed with any adroitness at all, the party was cured ; but, where the cleft continued to gape, the operation, it was supposed, would prove ineffectual. Having occasion to enlarge my garden not long since, I cut down two or three such trees, one of which did not grow together.
Page 230 - I was on a visit, happening to be mowing, on the 6th of that month, by the side of a canal, his scythe struck too deep, pared off a large piece of turf, and laid open to view a curious scene of domestic economy : " ingentem lato dedit ore fenestram : Apparet domus intus, et atria longa patescunt : Apparent penetralia.
Page 12 - 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.
Page 212 - ... backs with a loud croak, and seem to be falling to the ground. When this odd gesture betides them, they are scratching themselves with one foot, and thus lose the centre of gravity.
Page 100 - As, when the dove her rocky hold forsakes, Roused in a fright, her sounding wings she shakes ; The cavern rings with clattering ; out she flies, And leaves her callow care, and cleaves the skies : At first she flutters ; but at length she springs To smoother flight, and shoots upon her wings : So Mnestheus in the Dolphin cuts the sea ; And, flying with a force, that force assists his way.