20 BIBDS IN LONDON 



CHAPTER II 



CROWS IN LONDON 



A short general account of the London crows — The magpie 

 The jay — London ravens — The Enfield ravens — The Hyde 

 Park ravens — The Tower ravens — The carrion crow, rook, 

 and jackdaw. 



Theee are not many crows in London ; the 

 number of the birds that 'dve left are indeed few% 

 and, if we exclude the magpie and jay, there are 

 only three species. But the magpie and jay 

 cannot be left out altogether, when we find both 

 species still existing at a distance of six and a 

 half to seven miles from Charing Cross. The 

 magpie is all but lost; at the present time there 

 are no more than four birds inhabiting inner 

 r^ondon, doubtless escaped from captivity, and 

 afraid to leave tlie parks in which they found 

 refuge — those islands of verdure in the midst of 

 a sea, or desert, of houses. One bird, the sur- 

 vivoi-of a pair, has his home in St. James's Park, 

 and is tlie most intci-csting figure in that haunt 



