The Natural History of SelborneJohn Van Voorst, 1843 - 398 pages |
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Page 5
... usually a direction not very dis- similar from that of the Hanger . On the verge of this , the soil , though unpromising , has been partly brought into cultivation ; but beyond , cultivation quickly ceases , and the lean hungry waste of ...
... usually a direction not very dis- similar from that of the Hanger . On the verge of this , the soil , though unpromising , has been partly brought into cultivation ; but beyond , cultivation quickly ceases , and the lean hungry waste of ...
Page 9
... usually sit . The saw was applied to the butt , the wedges were inserted into the open- ing , 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 ...
... usually sit . The saw was applied to the butt , the wedges were inserted into the open- ing , 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 ...
Page 11
... usually very small and soft : but in Clay's Pond , a little farther on , at the end of the pit , where the soil is dug out for manure , I have occasionally observed them of large dimensions , per- haps fourteen or sixteen inches in ...
... usually very small and soft : but in Clay's Pond , a little farther on , at the end of the pit , where the soil is dug out for manure , I have occasionally observed them of large dimensions , per- haps fourteen or sixteen inches in ...
Page 24
... usually with a north - east or east wind , much annoy this village with their smoke , and often alarm the country ; and once , in particular , I remem- ber that a gentleman , who lives beyond Andover , coming to my house , when he got ...
... usually with a north - east or east wind , much annoy this village with their smoke , and often alarm the country ; and once , in particular , I remem- ber that a gentleman , who lives beyond Andover , coming to my house , when he got ...
Page 59
... usually two , never more than three , on the bare ground , with- out any nest , in the field , so that the countryman , in stirring his fallows , often destroys them . The young run immediately from the egg like partridges , & c . , and ...
... usually two , never more than three , on the bare ground , with- out any nest , in the field , so that the countryman , in stirring his fallows , often destroys them . The young run immediately from the egg like partridges , & c . , and ...
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Common terms and phrases
abound Andalusia animal appear April autumn birds of passage birds of prey breed British Birds British Zoology brood called Cambridgeshire chaffinches colour crista galli cuckoo curious Daines Barrington district eggs feeding feet female fern-owl fieldfares fishes flocks former frequently frost garden gentleman genus Gibraltar Gross-beak ground Hanger haunt hedges hirundines hirundo house-martins inches insects instance known late legs LETTER Linnæus male manner martins mentioned migration morning Motacilla Natural History naturalist neighbourhood nest never night numbers observed owls pair perhaps procure quadrupeds rain remarkable remiges retire ring-dove ring-ousels rooks says season seems seen Selborne sing snow soft-billed soon species spring stone-curlew strange summer birds suppose Sussex Swaffham Bulbeck swallow swifts tail THOMAS PENNANT tion titmouse toads trees vast village weather White white-throat wild willow-wren wings winter wonder Woodlark woods Yarrell young Zoology
Popular passages
Page 323 - 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 381 - Of glory obscured ; as when the sun, new risen, Looks through the horizontal misty air Shorn of his beams ; or from behind the moon, JOHN MILTON. 345 In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs.
Page 96 - 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 191 - MILTOK. but scout and hurry along in little detached parties of six or seven in a company ; and sweeping low, just over the surface of the land and water, direct their course to the opposite continent at the narrowest passage they can find.
Page 306 - Owls move in a buoyant manner, as if lighter than the air; they seem to want ballast. There is a peculiarity belonging to ravens that must draw the attention even of the most incurious — they spend all their leisure time in striking and cuffing each other on the wing in a kind of playful skirmish...
Page 85 - For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Page 2 - The covert of this eminence is altogether beech, the most lovely of all forest trees, whether we consider its smooth rind or bark, its glossy foliage, or graceful pendulous boughs.
Page 27 - 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 261 - ... moist pastures, by the sides of streams, and under hedges. These rushes are in best condition in the height of summer, but may be gathered, so as to serve the purpose well, quite on to autumn.
Page 226 - In Sweden she builds in barns, and is called ladu swala, the barn-swallow. Besides, in the warmer parts of Europe there are no chimneys to houses, except they are English-built: in these countries she constructs her nest in porches, and gateways, and galleries, and open halls. Here and there a bird may affect some odd, peculiar place ; as we have known a swallow build down the shaft of an old well, through which chalk had been formerly drawn up for the purpose of manure; but, in general, with us...