The Natural History of Selborne (page 1/3)

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Wych Elm.

“In the court of Norton farmhouse, a manor farm to the north-west of the village [of Selborne], on the white malms, stood within these twenty years a broad-leaved elm, or wych hazel, ulmus folio latissimo scabro of Ray, which, though it had lost a considerable leading bough in the great storm in the year 1703, equal to a moderate tree, yet, when felled, contained eight loads of lumber; and being too bulky for a carriage, was sawn off at seven feet above the butt, where it measured near eight feet in the diameter. This elm I mention to show to what a bulk planted elms may attain; as this tree must [...] [more...] [$]

Beech.

“The high part of the south-west consists of a vast hill of chalkk rising three hundred feet above the village, and is divided into a sheep-down, the high wood and a long hanging wood, called The [...]beech, the most lovely of all forest trees, whether we consider its smooth rind or bark, its glossy foliage, or graceful pendulous boughs.” (p. 3) [more...] [$]

The Osprey (Pandion)

The osprey in this wood-engraving has a large fish held very firmly in its claws, although the bird appears to be perched on a rock by the lake, not on the handle of a plough as in the text. [more...] [$]

Partridges.

“Partridges in vast plenty are bred in good seasons on the verge of this forest [the forest of Wolmer, mostly in the parish of Selborne], into which they love to make excursions; and in particular, in the dry summers of 1740 and 1741, and some years after, they swarmed to such a degree that parties of unreasonable sportsmen killed twenty [...] [more...] [$]

The Brown Owl (Syrnium Aluco).

“When brown owls hoot their throats swell as big as a hen’s egg. I have known an owl of this species live a full year without any water. Perhaps the case may be the same with all birds of prey. When owls fly they stretch out their legs behind them as a balance to their large heavy heads, for as most nocturnal birds have large eyes and ears they must [...] [more...] [$]