238 BIRDS IX LOXDON 



district it will again be found convenient 

 to disregard the line at some points, since, be- 

 sides excluding the two parks just named, I 

 propose to include Kew Gardens, Eichmond 

 Park, and Wimbledon Common — large spaces 

 which lie for the most part outside of the Post- 

 OfRce boundary. These spaces do nevertheless 

 form an integral part of London as it has been 

 defined for the purposes of this book : they 

 belong to the South-west district in the same 

 way that Hampstead Heath does to the J^Torth- 

 west, Hackney Marsh and Wanstead Old Park 

 to the East, Plumstead and Bostellto the South- 

 east. All these open spaces touch London, 

 although they are not entirely cut off from the 

 country. Again, for the same reason which 

 made me exclude EjDping Forest, Ham Common, 

 &c., from the East district, I now exclude 

 Hampton Court Park and BusheyPark from the 

 South-west. It might l)e said that Eichmond 

 Park is not less rural than Tiushey Park, or even 

 til an Epping Forest ; that with regard to their 

 wild bird life all these big open spaces on the 

 borders of London are in the same category; 

 but the liiKi must be drawn somewhere, and 

 lia\iiig made my rnle \ ninstkeepto il. l)()ul)t- 



