The Natural History of SelborneHarper, 1842 - 335 pages |
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Page 32
... wonder for years afterward . I saw myself one of the yeomen prickers single out a stag from the herd , and must confess that it was the most curious feat of activity I ever beheld , superior to anything in Mr. Astley's riding - school ...
... wonder for years afterward . I saw myself one of the yeomen prickers single out a stag from the herd , and must confess that it was the most curious feat of activity I ever beheld , superior to anything in Mr. Astley's riding - school ...
Page 64
... wonder that the stone curlew , charadrius œdic- nemus , should be mentioned by the writers as a rare bird ; it abounds in all the champaign parts of Hampshire and Sussex . Already they begin clam- ouring in the evening . They cannot , I ...
... wonder that the stone curlew , charadrius œdic- nemus , should be mentioned by the writers as a rare bird ; it abounds in all the champaign parts of Hampshire and Sussex . Already they begin clam- ouring in the evening . They cannot , I ...
Page 86
... wonder to find that the organs of that little animal , when put in motion , gave a sensible vibration to the whole building ! This bird also sometimes makes a small squeak , repeated four or five times ; and I have observed that to ...
... wonder to find that the organs of that little animal , when put in motion , gave a sensible vibration to the whole building ! This bird also sometimes makes a small squeak , repeated four or five times ; and I have observed that to ...
Page 91
... wonder . If one looks into the writers on that subject , little satisfaction is to be found . Ingenious men will readily advance plaus . ible arguments to support whatever theory they shall choose to maintain ; but then the misfortune ...
... wonder . If one looks into the writers on that subject , little satisfaction is to be found . Ingenious men will readily advance plaus . ible arguments to support whatever theory they shall choose to maintain ; but then the misfortune ...
Page 96
... wonder to me that fieldfares , which are so congenerous to thrushes and blackbirds , should never choose to lay their eggs in England : but that they should not think even the Highlands cold and northerly , and seques- tered enough , is ...
... wonder to me that fieldfares , which are so congenerous to thrushes and blackbirds , should never choose to lay their eggs in England : but that they should not think even the Highlands cold and northerly , and seques- tered enough , is ...
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Common terms and phrases
abound Alauda Andalusia animals appear April autumn birds of passage birds of prey blackcap brood build called chaffinches colour Comb Wood common buzzard congeners coppice cuckoo curious DEAR SIR district eggs feed feet fieldfares fields flocks frequently frost garden Greatham ground Hanger hatched haunt hedges hirundines hirundo house-martins hundred inches insects late legs LETTER Linnæus manner martins mentioned migration morning Motacilla neighbour neighbourhood nest never night observed owls pair parish perhaps ponds prey procured quadrupeds Raii rain redwings remarkable remiges reptile retire ring-dove ringousels rooks roost season seems seen Selborne shot sing snow soon sort species spring stone curlew strange summer birds suppose Sussex swifts tail thrushes tion titmouse trees vast village weather whinchats whitethroat wild wings winter Wolmer Forest wonder woodcocks Woodlark woods young
Popular passages
Page 328 - 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 18 - In the midst of this spot stood, in old times, a vast oak, with a short squat body, and huge horizontal arms extending almost to the extremity of the area. This venerable tree, surrounded with stone steps and seats above them, was the delight of old and young, and a place of much resort in summer evenings ; where the former sat in grave debate, while the latter frolicked and danced before them.
Page 168 - 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 90 - Amusive birds ! say where your hid retreat, When the frost rages and the tempests beat ? Whence your return, by such nice instinct led, When Spring, soft season, lifts her bloomy head? Such baffled searches mock man's prying pride, The God of Nature is your secret guide!
Page 228 - When these junci are thus far prepared they must lie out on the grass to be bleached, and take the dew for some nights and afterwards be dried in the sun.
Page 239 - ... 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 and twigs into it; and, most of all, by throwing up such infinite numbers of lumps of earth called wormcasts, which, being their excrement, is a fine manure for grain and grass.
Page 286 - But as he avoids heat in the summer, so, in the decline of the year, he improves the faint autumnal beams, by getting within the reflection of a...
Page 202 - Each species of hirundo drinks as it flies along, sipping the surface of the water ; but the swallow alone, in general, washes on the wing, by dropping into a pool for many times together : in very hot weather house-martins and bank-martins dip and wash a little..
Page 81 - I have reason to lament this want in my own country ; for such objects are very necessary ingredients in an elegant landscape.
Page 8 - Being of an unambitious temper, and strongly attached to the charms of rural scenery, he early fixed his residence in his native village, Till where he spent the greater part of his life in literary occupations, and especially in the study of Nature. This he followed with patient assiduity, and a mind ever open to the lessons of piety and benevolence, which such a study is so well calculated to afford. Though several occasions offered of settling upon a college living, he could never persuade himself...