104 BIBDS IN LONDON 



CHAPTEE YII 

 London's little birds 



Number ot species, common and uncommon — The London 

 sparrow — His predominance, hardiness, and intelKgence — A 

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

 Sparrow shindies : their probable cause — ' Sparrow chapels ' 

 — Evening in the parks — The starling — His independence — 

 Characteristics — Blackbird, thrush, and robin — AVliite black- 

 birds — The robin — Decrease in London — Habits and dis- 

 position. 



There are not more than about twenty species 

 of small passerine birds that live all the year in 

 London proper. The larger wild birds that 

 breed in London within the five-mile radius are 

 eight species, or if we add the semi-domestic 

 pigeon or rock-dove, there are nine. Of the 

 twenty small birds, it is surprising to find that 

 only five can Ije described as really common, 

 including tlie robin, wliich in recent years has 

 ceased to be abundant in the interior parks, and 

 lias quite disappeared from the squares, burial 

 grounds, and other small open spaces. The five 

 famiUar species are the sparrow, starling, black- 



