192 BIBDS IN LONDON 



CHAPTER XI 



EAST LONDON 



Condition of the East district — Large circular group of open 

 spaces — Hackney Downs and London Fields — Victoria Park 

 with Hackney Common — Smoky atmosphere — Bird life — 

 Lakes— An improvement suggested— Chaffinch fanciers — 

 Hackney Marsh with North and South ^lill Fields — Unique 

 character of the Marsh — AYhite House Fishery — The vanished 

 sporting times — Anecdotes— Collection of rare birds— A 

 region of marshes — Wanstead Old Park— Woodland charac- 

 ter — Bird life — Heronry and rookery — A suggestion. 



Judging solely from the map, witli its sprinkling 

 of oTeen patches, one might be led to suppose 

 that East London is not worse off than other 

 metropolitan districts in the matter of open 

 spaces. The truth is that it is very much worse 

 off; and it might almost be said that for the 

 mass of East-enders there are practically no 

 breathing spaces in tliat district. The popuhi- 

 tion is about a million, the greatest portion of 

 it pack(Ml into tlie parishes which Ijordci- on the 

 river and tlic East Cenli-al district ; tlial is to 

 say, on all that paiM ol" London which is mosl 



