CONTENTS xi 



PAUE 



appearance and habits — An aesthetic bird — Its increase 

 — The dabchick in London — Its increase — Appearance 

 and habits— At ("Hssold Park— The stock-dove in Lon- 

 don . . **' H9 



CHAPTER YII 

 London's little jiiKDs 



K umber of species, conunon and uncommon — The London 

 sparrow — His predominance, hardiness, and intelligence 

 — A pet sparrow — Breeding irregularities — A love-sick 

 bird — Sparrow shindies : their probable cause — ' Sparrow 

 chapels ' — Evening in the parks — The starling — His in- 

 dependence — Characteristics — Blackbh'd, thrush, and 

 robin — AVhite blackbirds — The robin — Deciease in 

 London — Habits and disposition ..... 104 



CHAPTER YIII 



MOVEMENTS OF LONDON BIRDS 



Migration as seen in London — Swallows in the parks — 

 Fieldfares — A flock of wild geese — Autumn movements 

 of resident species — Wood-pigeons — A curious habit — 

 Dabchicks and moorhens — Crows and rooks — The 

 Palace daws — Starlings — Piobins — A Tower robin and 

 the Tower sparrows — Passage birds in the parks — 

 Small birds wintering in London— Influx of birds 

 during severe frosts — Occasional visitors — The black- 

 headed gull^ — A winter scene in St. James's Park . 129 



CHAPTER IX 



A SURVEY OF THE PARKS : WEST LONDON • 



A general survey of the metropolitan parks — West London 



— Central parks, with Holland Park— A bird's highway 



— Decrease of songsters — The thrush in Kensington 



