The Natural History of Selborne (page 1/3)

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Title Page (Natural History of Selborne)

The title page of the 1879 edition is as follows: [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...] [$]

The Black Grouse

The Black Grouse. This bird is now [2006] close to extinciton in the United Kingdom. [more...] [$]

The Raven (Corvus Corax)

There is a peculiarity belonging to ravens tht 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; and, when they move from one place to another, frequently turn on their backs with a loud croak, and seem to be falling ot the ground. When [...] [more...] [$]

The Magpie

Magpies and jays flutter with powerless wings, and make no dispatch; herons seem incumbered with too much sail for their light bodies; but these vast hollow wings are necessary in carrying burdens, such as large fishes, and the like; pigeons, and particularly the sort called smiters, have a way of clashing their wings the one against the other over [...] [more...] [$]