66 BIRDS IN LONDON 



in^ such a lano-uisliino' of colour ; as we see in old 

 Age, when the natural heat decays, the hair 

 Sfrows fifrev, and at last white.' 



To return to the subject of the beautiful 

 albino daws, and the numbers sometimes seen in 

 our bird markets. One can only say that the 

 monster London throws its nets oyer an 

 exceedingly wide area, capturing all rare and 

 quaint and beautiful things for its own delight. 

 Thiijking of these wonderful white daws, when 

 I have cast up my eyes to the birdless towers 

 and domes of our great London buildings, it has 

 occurred to me to ask the following question : 

 Is there not one among the many yery wealthy 

 men in London, who annually throw away 

 hundreds of thousands of pounds on their 

 several crazes — is there not one to give, say, 

 fifty or sixty pounds per annum to buy up all 

 these beautiful albinos, at the usual price of 

 one or two guineas per bird, for three or four 

 years, and establish a colony at Westminster, or 

 other suitable place, where thousands of p(iople 

 would have great delight in looking at them 

 everyday? For il would indeed be a strange 

 and beautiful siglit, and many pei-sons would 



