The Natural History of SelborneGibbings, 1890 - 470 páginas |
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Términos y frases comunes
abound appear April autumn Berne birds birds of prey bishop Bishop of Winchester breed called canons chaffinches church common curious DEAR district eggs election feet female field fieldfares forest frequent garden Gilbert White ground Gurdon hard frost haunt hedges hirundines hirundo house-martins inches insects July July 13 July 22 June June 11 June 22 June 9 Knights Templars last seen late legs Linnæus Magdalen College male manner March MARKWICK martins migration mild neighbouring nest never night NOTE TO LETTER observed parish perhaps prior priory of Selborne quadrupeds rain remarkable season seems Selborne Seleburne Sept showers sings snow species spring stone-curlew summer suppose swallow swarm swift tail titmouse trees vast vicar village warm weather White wild wings winter Wolmer wonder woods wren young
Pasajes populares
Página 74 - 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.
Página 140 - Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? Or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, And warmeth them in the dust, And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, Or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: Her labour is in vain without fear ; Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, Neither hath he imparted to her understanding.
Página 234 - ... 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 their backs with a loud snap; another variety, called tumblers, turn themselves over in the air.
Página 170 - The young of this species do not quit their abodes all together ; but the more forward birds get abroad some days before the rest. These, approaching the eaves of buildings, and playing about before them, make people think that several old ones attend one nest. They are often capricious in fixing on a nesting-place, beginning many edifices, and leaving them unfinished ; but when once a nest is completed in a sheltered place, it serves for several seasons. Those which breed in a ready-finished house...
Página 196 - About nine, an appearance very unusual began to demand our attention, — a shower of cobwebs falling from very elevated regions, and continuing, without any interruption, till the close of the day. These webs were not single filmy threads, floating in the air in all directions, but perfect flakes or rags ; some near an inch broad, and five or six long, which fell with a degree of velocity, that showed they were considerably heavier than the atmosphere.
Página 3 - ... where it begins to break down into the plains, and commanding a very engaging view, being an assemblage of hill, dale, wood-lands, heath, and water. The prospect is bounded to the south-east and east by the vast range of mountains called the Sussex Downs, by Guild-down near Guildford, and by the Downs round Dorking, and Ryegate in Surrey, to the north-east, which altogether, with the country beyond Alton and Farnham, form a noble and extensive outline.
Página xi - ... calculated to afford. Though several occasions offered of settling upon a college living, he could never persuade himself to quit the beloved spot, which was, indeed, a peculiarly happy situation for an observer. He was much esteemed by a select society of intelligent and worthy friends, to whom he paid occasional visits. Thus his days passed, tranquil and serene, with scarcely any other vicissitudes than those of the seasons, till they closed at a mature age on June 26, 1793.
Página 9 - ... 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...
Página 216 - ... away; and they affect slopes, probably to avoid being flooded. Gardeners and farmers express their detestation of worms; the former because they render their walks unsightly, and make them much work: and the latter because, as they think, worms eat their green corn. But these men would find that the earth without worms would soon become cold, hard-bound, and void of fermentation; and consequently sterile...