CHAPTER 11. 



On April 24th, 1778, the Naturalist's Journal 



records the discovery, in bloom, " in the Litton 



coppice at Selborne just below the church," of the 



''Lathrcea squammaria, a rare plant," and a little 



later a slip is inserted noting that his servant 



Thomas Hoar had heard "pretty late one evening" 



the twittering notes of swallows from ** under the 



eaves of my brewhouse, between the ceiling and 



the thatch." 



"Now the quaere is, whether those birds had harboured 

 there the winter through, and were just awakening from their 

 slumbers ; or whether they had only just taken possession of 

 that place unnoticed." 



A similar occurrence, reported by Mr. Derham to 

 the Royal Society, is referred to. 



" July 3. Began to inhabit my new parlor." 



This room was built at the west end of the old 

 house, looking into the garden, and " outlet," towards 

 the Hanger, by two windows. In recent years a story 

 has been added above it, and the windows altered, 

 while a passage to a new room now occupies part of 

 the original room, opposite the windows. 



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