Hooting Yard On The Air: Mrs Snook's Tortoise

This is Resonance 104.4 FM. My name is Frank Key and this is a special edition of Hooting Yard on the Air.

Gilbert White, 1720-1793, was a country clergyman, for many years the curate of Selborne in Hampshire.

He was also one of England's first and greatest nature writers.

His book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, was published in 1789 and has never been out of print.

Incidentally, he had a great-nephew who, when an infant, was known as the Learned Pig.

In 1946, Sylvia Townsend Warner published a book called The Portrait of a Tortoise.

She extracted from Gilbert White's journals all the references to Timothy,

a tortoise belonging to White's aunt, which, upon her death, he brought to Selborne.

I'm going to read it to you now, beginning with Sylvia Townsend Warner's brief prefatory note.

The Portrait of a Tortoise

In piecing together these extracts from the journals, I have allowed myself to include some passages which do not directly refer to Timothy.

Sometimes...

Sometimes there's a perceptible good reason for such inclusions.

Weather, for instance, means a great deal to a tortoise.

Though swallows and their kind mean nothing to a tortoise, they meant a great deal to the journalist.

Lovers of Gilbert White will allow me the swallows, and such entries as that for March 26th, 1789,

which show his faithful observation of nature and his power, like that of some Chinese artist,

of conveying a whole landscape...

with a few strokes.

But in a few inclusions, such as the astonished bantams, and the concatenation in a naturalist's mind of the fertility of the polyanthus and of the White family,

I've just given way to personal liking.

Readers who know the journals will be astonished at my moderation.

1771, November the 1st.

Mrs. Snook's tortoise begins to scrape an hole in the ground in order for laying up.

November the 2nd.

Mrs. Snook's tortoise begins to dig in order to hide himself for the winter.

The veil of bramble and the river enveloped in a vast fog.

The downs were clear.

November the 10th.

Tortoise comes out in the sun about noon, but soon returns to his work of digging a hole to retire into.

The veil of bramble and the river enveloped in a vast fog.

He had not finished his hibernaculum, being interrupted by the sunny weather, which tempted him out.

1772

May 22

Tortoise eats. Flycatcher appears and builds.

May 23

The ringma tortoise came forth from its hibernaculum on the 6th of April, but did not appear to eat till May 5th.

It does not eat but on hot days. As far as I could find, it has no perceptible pulse.

May 30

Tortoise eats all day. In Mrs Snook's ponds are vast spiders, which dive and conceal themselves on the underside of plants lying on the water, perhaps Aranea aquatica linn urinatoria.

The swallow seems to be the only bird which washes itself as it flies.

1773

December 2

The tortoise in Mrs Snook's garden went underground November 21st, came out on the 30th for one day and retired to the same hole, lies in a wet border in mud and mire with its back bare.

December 17

May 31

Mrs Snook's tortoise.

After it had been buried in the water, it was buried in the water.

After it had been buried more than a month, came forth and wandered round the garden in a disconsolate state, not knowing where to fix on a spot for its retreat.

1775

March 21st

Mrs Snook's old tortoise came out of the ground, but in a few days buried himself as deep as ever.

April 17th

Mrs Snook's tortoise came out of the ground the second time for the summer.

August 7th

Timothy, Mrs Snook's old tortoise, has been kept full thirty years in the court before the house, weighs six pounds, three quarters and one ounce.

It was never weighed before, but seems to be much grown since it came.

1776

August 20th

1776

The tortoise weighs just six pounds, three quarters and two ounces and a half.

1776

It is increased in weight since August 1775, just one ounce and an half.

August 28th

The tortoise eats voraciously. It is particularly fond of kidney beans. Vast halo around the moon.

November 20th

Mrs Snook's old tortoise at Ringmer went underground.

1777

March 26th

and 27th

April 29th

September 17th

2 sultry days

Mrs Snook's tortoise came forth out of the ground, but retired again to its hibernaculum in a day or two and did not appear any more for near a fortnight.

Swallows appeared also on the same days and withdrew again. A strong proof this of their hiding.

September 11th

Mrs Snook's tortoise devours kidney beans and cucumbers in a most voracious manner, swallows its food or eats them.

its food almost whole. Footnote. Timothy the tortoise weighed six pounds three quarters and

two ounces and a half, so is not at all increased in weight since this time last year. The scales

were not very exact. 1778, October the 2nd. Timothy the old tortoise weighed six pounds and eleven

ounces a verdupois. 1779, October the 23rd. Timothy the old tortoise at this house weighs

six pounds nine ounces and an half a verdupois. It weighed last year, October the 2nd, an ounce

and a half more, but perhaps the abstemious life that it lives at this season may have reduced its

bulk, for tortoises seem to eat nothing for some weeks before they lay up.

However, this inquiry shows that these reptiles do not, as some have imagined, continue to grow

as long as they live. This poor being has been very torpid for some time, but it does not usually

retire underground till the beginning of next month. November the 25th. Mrs Snook's old tortoise

retired under the ground. November the 28th. The ground is glutted with water.

1780, March the 6th. Skylarks mount and sing. March the 8th. Mrs Snook died, aged eighty-six.

March the 14th. Chaffinches sing, but in a shorter way than in hands. March the 15th. Mrs Snook was

buried. March the 17th. Brought away Mrs Snook's old tortoise, Timothy, which she valued as her

own. March the 16th. Mrs Snook has been treated kindly for nearly forty years. When, dug out of its

hibernaculum, it resented the insult by hissing. March the 20th. We took the tortoise out of its

box and buried it in the garden, but the weather being warm it heaved up the mould and walked

twice down to the bottom of the long walk to survey the premises. March the 21st. The tortoise

is quite awake and came out all day long.

Towards the evening it buried itself in part. March the 25th. Sowed carrots, parsnips, planted

potatoes. Ground works well. Tortoise sleeps. March the 28th. The tortoise put out his head

this morning. March the 30th. Tortoise keeps close. April the 5th. The frost injured the

bloom of the walled trees, covered the bloom with boughs of ivy.

April the 7th. Tortoise keeps still in its hole.

April the 15th. Cucumbers swell. Tortoise sleeps on. Radishes adrawn.

April the 21st. The tortoise heaves up the earth and puts out its head.

April the 22nd. Tortoise comes forth and walks around its coop. Will not eat lettuce yet. Goes to

sleep at 4 o'clock p.m.

May the 2nd, tortoise marches about, eats part of a cucumber pairing.

May the 10th, stormy all night, tortoise scarce moves during this wet time.

May the 11th, tortoise moves about but does not feed yet.

May the 13th, after a fast of seven or eight months,

the tortoise, which in October 1779 weighed six pounds nine ounces and a half of eau dupois,

weighs now only six pounds four ounces.

Timothy begins to break his fast May the 17th on the globe thistle and American willow herb.

His favourite food is lettuce and dandelion, cucumber and kidney beans.

May the 27th, Timothy the tortoise possesses a much greater share of discernment

than I was aware of.

And is much too wise to go into a well.

For when he arrives at the ha-ha, he distinguishes the fall of the ground

and retires with caution or marches carefully along the edge.

He delights in crawling up the flower bank and walking along its verge.

May the 29th, the tortoise shunned the heat, it was so intense.

June the 1st, distant clouds, sultry thunder clouds.

Sulfur.

Sulfur a smell in the air, sweet even, small shower.

Strawberries blow well.

Medlar shows much bloom.

Honeysuckles blow.

Fern owl chatter.

Chur worm jars.

The tortoise shuns the intense heat by covering itself with dead grass

and does not eat till the afternoon.

June the 5th, tortoise does not move.

Tulips fade.

Cinnamon roses blow.

July the 1st, the red valerians, roses, irises, cornflags, honeysuckles, lilies, etc.

make a gallant show.

Most of the pinks were destroyed in the winter by the hares.

We put Timothy in a tub of water and found that he sunk gradually

and walked on the bottom of the tub.

He seemed quite out of his element and was much dismayed.

This species seems not at all amphibious.

Timothy seems to be the...

Testudo Graeca of Linnaeus.

Dr Chandler, who saw the operation,

says there's a species of tortoise in the Levant

that at times frequents ponds and lakes.

And my brother John White affirms the same of a sort in Andalusia.

July the 3rd, the tortoise weighs 6 pounds and 3 quarters of verdupois,

6 pounds 12 ounces.

July the 8th, the excrement of the tortoise is hard and solid,

but when that creature urines, as it often does, plentifully,

it voids after the water a soft white matter,

much like the dung of birds of prey,

which dries away into a sort of chalk-like substance.

July the 10th, Timothy eats voraciously,

but picks out the hearts and stems of cos lettuce,

holding the outer leaves back with his feet.

July the 24th, tortoise eats endive and poppies,

July the 27th, tortoise eats gooseberries.

August the 12th, dust flies, gardens suffer from want of rain,

much wheat bound.

Timothy, in the beginning of May, after fasting all the winter,

weighed only 6 pounds and 4 ounces,

is now increased to 6 pounds and 15 ounces.

August the 22nd, Timothy is sluggish and scarce moves.

September the 23rd,

The motions of Timothy the tortoise are much circumscribed.

He is taken to the border under the fruit wall

and makes very short excursions.

He sleeps under a marvel of Peru.

September the 12th, Timothy still feeds a little.

September the 7th,

When we call loudly through the speaking trumpet to Timothy,

he does not seem to regard the noise.

September the 18th,

Timothy eats heartily.

October the 3rd,

No ring-oozles seen this autumn yet.

Timothy very dull.

October the 13th,

The tortoise scarcely moves.

October the 29th,

Men put their hogs up a-fatting.

Timothy the tortoise,

who in May last year, after fasting all the winter,

weighed only 6 pounds and 4 ounces,

and in August,

when full-fed, weighed 6 pounds and 15 ounces,

weighs now 6 pounds, 9 ounces and an half,

and so he did last October a ring-ma.

Thus his weight fluctuates according as he fasts or abstains.

November the 2nd,

Leaves fall very fast.

My hedges show beautiful lights and shades.

The yellow of the tall maples makes a fine contrast against the green hazels.

November the 3rd,

Timothy, who is placed under a hen-coop near the fruit-wall,

scarce moves at all.

November the 6th,

The tortoise begins to dig mould for his winter retreat.

He has much moss in his coop, under which he conceals himself.

November the 7th,

Some snow on the ground.

Many trees were stripped last night.

Vine-leaves began to fall.

Winter weather.

November the 9th,

Timothy does not stir.

November the 13th,

Wheat stubbles plough up in fine order.

Green wheat comes up well.

Tortoise goes underground.

Over him is thrown a coat of moss.

The border being very light and mellow,

the tortoise has thrown the mould entirely over his shell,

leaving only a small breathing-hole near his head.

Timothy lies in the border under the fruit-wall,

in an aspect where he will enjoy

the warmth of the sun,

and where no wet can annoy him.

A hen-coop over his back protects him from dogs, etc.

The severity of the weather quickened Timothy's retreat.

He used to stay above ground till about the 20th.

At Ringmer, he used to lay himself up in a wet, swampy border.

Indeed, he had no choice.

November the 28th,

Timothy lies very snug, but does not get any deeper.

1781,

February the 11th,

The tortoise came forth and continued to be alert till the 25th,

and then eat some lettuce.

When the weather turning very harsh,

he retired under the straw in his coop.

April the 1st,

The tortoise came out for two hours.

April the 2nd,

Tortoise out.

April the 3rd,

Timothy eats heartily.

Rhynek appears and pipes.

May the 8th,

Timothy lies close this cold weather.

July the 7th,

Timothy the tortoise who weighed April the 2nd

after fasting all the winter only 6 pounds and 8 ounces,

now weighs 7 pounds and 1 ounce,

weighed last August 6 pounds and 15 ounces.

From the increased number of the swifts,

it seems as if they had brought out many of their young.

About 8 in the evening,

swifts get together in a large party

and course round the environs of the church

as if to teach their broods the art of flying.

July the 29th,

Timothy comes out but little,

while the weather is so hot.

He skulks among the carrots and cabbages.

September the 10th,

Red breasts feed on elderberries,

enter rooms and spoil the furniture.

Timothy's appetite is now on the decline.

September the 14th,

Timothy the tortoise dull and torpid.

October the 24th,

The tortoise is very torpid but does not bury itself.

October the 27th,

My well sinks and is very low.

The tortoise begins to dig into the ground.

The bat is out this warm evening.

October the 30th,

The tortoise retires underground within his coop.

November the 8th,

The tortoise came out of his coop

and has buried himself in the laurel hedge.

1782,

March the 28th,

Poor Timothy was flooded in his hibernaculum

amidst the laurel hedge

and might have been drowned

had not his friend Thomas come to his assistance

and taken him away.

May the 2nd,

Two swifts at Norhill passed by me

at a steady rate towards this village

as if they had just arrived.

May the 4th,

Vegetation is at a stand

and Timothy the tortoise fast asleep.

The trees are still naked.

May the 14th,

Tortoise eats the leaves of poppies.

June the 16th,

This hot weather makes the tortoise so alert

that he traverses all the garden

by six o'clock in the morning.

When the sun grows very powerful

he retires under a garden mat

or in the shelter of some cabbage

not loving to be about in vehement heat.

In such weather he eats greedily.

July the 29th,

Fine wood strawberries again.

A strong stream of water

runs in Norton Mead among the haycocks.

August the 1st,

Timothy the tortoise

weighed seven pounds and three ounces.

October the 17th,

No baking pears.

Gathered in medlars.

Dug up carrots,

a good crop but small in size.

The tortoise not only gets into the sun

under the fruit wall

but he tilts one edge of his shell

against the wall

so as to incline his back to its rays

by which contrivance

he obtains more heat

than if he lays in his natural position.

And yet,

this poor reptile has never read

that planes inclining to the horizon

receive more heat from the sun

than any other elevation.

At 4pm he retires to bed

under the broad foliage of a hollyhock.

He has ceased to eat for some time.

November the 26th,

The woods and hedges

are beautifully fringed with snow.

Order Thomas carefully to

beat off the snow that lodges

in the south side of the laurel.

The forest is covered in wildflowers

and laurel stems.

November the 27th.

Fierce frost.

Rhyme hangs all day on the hanger.

The hares, pressed by hunger,

haunt the gardens

and devour the pinks,

cabbages, parsley, etc.

Cats catch the redbreasts.

Timothy the tortoise sleeps

in the fruit border under the wall

covered with a hen coop

in which is a good armful of straw.

Here he will lie,

warm, secure, and dry.

His back is partly covered

partly covered with mould.

1783, February the 18th.

Cleaned up the borders in the garden,

sowed radishes and a few carrots under the fruit wall.

February the 19th.

Men busy in ploughing for peas,

Timothy the tortoise awakes.

April the 2nd.

Timothy my tortoise came out for the first time at Selbourne.

April the 17th.

Timothy begins to eat.

April the 18th.

A nightingale sings in my fields, young rooks.

August the 31st.

Timothy begins to frequent the border under the fruit wall for the sake of warmth.

September the 1st.

Red sunshine, soda bed of cos lettuce.

October the 17th.

Mowed and burnt the dead grass in my fields,

rooks on the hill attended by a numerous flock of starlings.

The tortoise gets under the laurel hedge,

but does not bury himself.

October the 29th.

Tortoise begins to bury himself in the laurel hedge.

1784.

The buds of the vines have not swelled yet at all.

In fine springs they have shot by this time two or three inches.

April the 19th.

Timothy the tortoise begins to stir.

He heaves up the mould that lies over his back.

Red start is heard at the verge of the high wood

against the common.

April the 22nd.

The spring backwards to an unusual degree.

Some swallows are come, but I see no insects except bees

and some falonii in the evenings.

Daffodils begin to blow.

April the 23rd.

Timothy the tortoise comes forth from his winter retreat.

April the 29th.

The hoar frost was so great that Thomas could hardly mow.

May the 3rd.

Goody Hampton came to work in the garden for the summer.

Timothy ate this morning the heart of a lettuce.

May the 5th.

Cut the first cucumber, a large one.

May the 15th.

The tortoise is very earnest for the leaves of poppies

which he hunts about after

and seems to prefer to any other green thing.

May the 22nd.

Columbine and monkshood blow.

The sycamores and maples,

in bloom, scent the air with a honeyed smell.

Lily of the valley blows.

Lapwings on the downs.

May the 28th.

Timothy the tortoise has been missing for more than a week.

He got out of the garden at the wicket, we suppose,

and may be in the fields among the grass.

Timothy found in the little bean field,

short of the pound field.

The nightingale, fern owl, cuckoo and grasshopper lark

may be heard at the same time,

in my outlet.

November the 4th.

Timothy out.

Great meteor.

December the 2nd.

Timothy is buried, we know not where, in the laurel hedge.

December the 6th.

Dismally dark.

No wind this very sinking glass.

December the 9th.

Much snow in the night.

Vast snow.

Snow 16 inches deep on my grass plot.

About 12 inches.

At an average.

Farmer Hoare had 41 sheep buried in snow.

December the 10th.

Extreme frost, yet still bright sun.

At 11, one degree below zero.

Thomas Hoare took the snow carefully off from the evergreens.

The snow fell for 24 hours without ceasing.

1785.

January the 1st.

Much snow on the ground.

Ponds frozen up.

And almost dry.

Moles work.

Cocks crow.

Ground soft under the snow.

No field fairs seen.

No wagtails.

Evergreens miserably scorched.

Even ivy in warm aspects.

February the 2nd.

The scorched laurels cast their leaves and are almost naked.

April the 1st.

Snow hangs in the trees and makes a perfect winter scene.

April the 15th.

Hot sun.

Muddy sky.

Gooseberries and honeysuckles begin to bud and look green.

My fine Jasmine is dead.

Timothy the tortoise roused himself from his winter slumbers and came forth.

He was hidden in the laurel hedge under the walnut tree among the dead leaves.

April the 18th.

The cuckoo is heard this day.

May the 11th.

Severe, drying, exhausting drought.

Cloudless days.

The country all dust.

Timothy spoils the lettuce under the fruit wall but will not touch the Dutch while he can get at any cost.

September the 28th.

Timothy the tortoise spends all the summer in the quarters of the kitchen garden among the asparagus.

But as soon as the first frosty mornings begin, he comes forth to the laurel hedge by the side of which he spends the day.

And retires under it at night.

Till, urged by the increasing cold, he buries himself in November amidst the laurel hedge.

October the 21st.

Timothy the tortoise lies in the laurel hedge but is not buried.

1786.

April the 14th.

Timothy heaves up the mould and comes out of his hibernacula under the walnut tree.

April the 16th.

Some snow in Sheldon Lanes.

Crown Imperial blows.

April the 23rd.

Grass lamb.

Timothy, if you offer him some poppy leaves, will eat a little, but does not seek for food.

May the 6th.

Great showers and hail all round.

Showers of hail at a distance look of a silvery colour.

Rainbow.

The hanger is bursting into leaf every hour.

A progress in foliage matures.

Foliage may be discerned every morning and again in the evening.

May the 8th.

Pastures yellow with bloom of dandelion and with cowslips.

May the 9th.

Timothy, contrary to his usual practice, lies out all day in the rain.

May the 15th.

Timothy begins to march about at five in the morning.

1787.

March the 18th.

Timothy the tortoise heaves up the earth.

He lies under the walnut tree.

March the 19th.

Women hoe wheat.

Gossamer abounds.

March the 22nd.

The tortoise comes forth from his hole.

March the 23rd.

Timothy hides his head under the earth.

March the 27th.

Swallows were first seen this year at Messina in Sicily.

March the 28th.

Timothy continues to lie very close.

May the 16th.

Timothy the tortoise has just begun to eat.

May the 7th.

The large white pippin tree full of bloom.

No house martins seen yet.

June the 5th.

The tortoise took his usual ramble and could not be confined within the limits of the garden.

His pursuits, which seem to be of the amorous kind, transport him to the garden.

He was missing for some days but found at last near the Upper Malthouse.

August the 26th.

Timothy the tortoise, who has spent the last two months amidst the unbragious forests of the asparagus beds,

now begins to be sensible of the chilly autumnal mornings

and therefore suns himself under the laurel hedge into which he retires at night.

Mid Илиla he brings himself unexpectedension.

at night. He is become sluggish and does not seem to take any food. August the 31st. Young

hirondines cluster on the dead boughs of the walnut tree. October the 9th. Timothy sets

his shell on edge against the sun. December the 24th. Deep snow. The bantam fowls, when

they were first let out, were so astonished at the snow that they flew over the house.

1788. April the 8th. Timothy heaves up the earth. April the 10th. Crown imperials blow

and stink much gossamer. Bat! April the 21st. Timothy begins to eat. He crops the daisies

and walks down to the fruit wall to browse on the lettuces. April the 24th. Grasshopper

lark whispers. Cow slips blow.

April the 30th. Began to mow the orchard for the horses. Timothy weighed six pounds

thirteen ounces. Mole cricket churs. May the 4th. Shade the best tulips from the vehemence

of the sun. Polyanths are hurried out of bloom. Vine shoots are forward. Timothy wanders around

the garden and strives to escape. He is shut up in the brew house to prevent an escape.

Timothy grazes on the grass plot. Some dishes of wood strawberries are brought to the door.

1789. March the 26th. Icicles hang all day. Hot bed smokes.

April the 1st. Rain in the night. Spring-like. Crocuses make a gaudy show. Some little snow

under the hedges.

April the 5th. Rhyneck pipes. The smallest uncrested wren.

Chirps loudly and sharply in the hangar.

April the 6th. Timothy the tortoise heaves up the sod under which he is buried. Daffodil

blows.

April the 9th. Brimstow butterfly. The tortoise comes out. Dog violets blow. Summer-like.

April the 11th. White frost. Sun. Dug several plots of garden ground and ground digs well.

Sweet even.

April the 28th. Timothy the tortoise begins to eat dandelion.

April the 29th. Scarce unhirundo has been seen about this village.

May the 23rd. White thorn blows. The air is filled with floating willow down. Martins begin to build

against the end of my brew house. Columbines blow. Timothy the tortoise begins to travel out and be

restless.

September the 5th.

September the 15th. The hops at Kimber's grow dingy and lose their colour.

September the 16th. Timothy the tortoise is very dull and inactive and spends his time on the border under the fruit wall.

September the 18th. Began to light fires in the parlours.

November the 6th. The hermitage capped with snow.

November the 11th. The tortoise is going underground but not quite buried. He is in motion and pushing himself back.

December the 20th. The bird's am repet.

November the 12th.

Brother and Sister Benjamin left us and went to Newton. Tortoise almost covered.

1790 February the 27th.

April the 20th. Daffodils begin to open.

February the 28th. Violets abound.

March the 4th. Timothy the tortoise comes forth. He does not usually appear till the middle of April.

March the 5th. The tortoise does not appear.

March the 17th. Timothy the tortoise lies very close in the hedge.

May the 9th. Timothy the tortoise eats dandelion leaves and stalks. He swallows his food almost whole.

May the 16th. One polyanth stalk produced 47 pips or blossoms.

Mrs Edmund White brought to bed of a boy who has increased the number of my nephews and nieces to 56.

The bloom of apples is great. The white pippin, as usual, very full. It is a most useful tree and always bears fruit.

July the 14th. Tempest and much thunder to the northwest. Neither cucumbers nor kidney beans nor annuals thrive on account of the cold, blowing season.

Timothy the tortoise is very dull and spends most of his time under the shade of the vast, expanded leaves of the monk's rhubarb.

October the 7th. Timothy the tortoise came out into the walk and grazed.

November the 13th. Brother and sister Benjamin left us.

November the 15th. Timothy the tortoise gone underground in the laurel hedge. Paths very dry. Boys play at tour on the pless door.

1791. March the 13th. Crocuses in high glory. Some snow under hedges.

March the 14th. Vast halo around the moon.

March the 14th. Daffodil blows. Timothy the tortoise heaves up the earth.

March the 15th. Sweet weather. Mackerel.

March the 17th. The stone curlew is returned again and was heard this evening passing over the village from the uplands down to the meadows and brooks.

Planted half a hundred of cabbages. Timothy comes out.

March the 19th.

Timothy hides himself again.

March the 23rd. Soft wind. The woodpecker laughs.

April the 11th. Timothy the tortoise marches forth on the grass plot and grazes.

April the 12th. Mountains' snowdrops blow. Black thorns blossom. Hannah White walks up to the alcove before breakfast.

April the 15th. A nightingale sings in my outlet.

June the 14th. White frost, dark and cold. Covered the kidney beans with straw last night. Kidney beans injured and in some gardens killed.

The cold weather interrupts the house martins in their building and makes them leave their nests unfinished.

I have no martins at the end of my brew house as usual.

June the 18th. Timothy hides himself during this wintry weather.

August the 18th. Timothy grazes.

Cut.

August the 19th. 133 more cucumbers. Farmer Spencer and Farmer Knight make each a noble wheat rick. The crop very good and in fine order.

August the 19th. Sweet day. Golden even. Red horizon. Somewhat of an autumnal feel.

September the 13th. Timothy eats voraciously.

December the 3rd. Snow covers the ground. Snowshoe deep.

December the 5th. Cut down and covered the artichokes. Covered the rhubarb plants and the lettuces under the fruit wall and the spinach lightly with straw.

December the 8th. Timothy has laid himself up under the hedge against Benham's yard in a very comfortable, snug manner.

A thick tuft of grass shelters his back and he will have the warmth of the winter sun.

1792.

March the 16th. Daffodil blows.

March the 23rd. Timothy the tortoise comes out. Crown imperials bud for bloom and stink much.

March the 26th. Crocuses go off. The Kingsley miller assures me he saw a swallow skimming over the meadow near the mill.

April the 9th. Nightingale sings. Cuckoo is heard.

March the 16th. Timothy the tortoise weighs 6 pounds 11 and a half pounds.

July the 14th. The double roses rot in the bud without blowing out. An instance this of the coldness and wetness of the summer.

November the 15th. Timothy comes out.

November the 22nd. Timothy comes forth.

November the 26th. Timothy hides.

December the 4th. Timothy is gone under a tuft of long grass but is not yet buried in the ground.

December the 5th.

1793. March the 14th. Papilo Ramney, the brimstone butterfly, appears in the halt.

Timothy the tortoise comes forth.

April the 12th. The nightingale was heard this harsh evening near James Knight's ponds.

This bird of passage, I observe, comes as early in cold cutting springs as mild ones.

April the 19th. Showers of hail, sleet, gleams.

Timothy, who has withdrawn himself for several days, appears.

April the 20th. The cuckoo is heard on Greatham Common.

May the 3rd. Timothy eats.

May the 14th. Timothy travels about the garden.

May the 21st. Timothy eats much.

June the 1st. Timothy is very voracious when he can get no other food.

He eats grass in the walks.

And that's the last entry in Gilbert White's journals about Timothy the tortoise.

That was an abridgment of his journals by Sylvia Townsend Warner, published in 1946, called The Portrait of a Tortoise.

And if you're particularly interested, the carapace of Timothy,

the actual carapace of...

of Timothy the tortoise,

is in the Natural History Museum.

So you can go and see it.

And that's the end of this special edition of Hooting Yard on the Air

with me, Frank Key.

And bye-bye.