276 BIEDS IX LONDON 



bird-cat cliino' is permitted in some of the parks ; 

 park constables and park labourers have also 

 been allowed to take nests of thrushes and other 

 songsters containino- young birds, for their own 

 pleasure or to dispose of to others. 



We have seen that the differences Ijetween 

 park and park, with regard to the abundance of 

 bird life, are ver}^ great ; but despite these dif- 

 ferences, which depend on the amount of en- 

 couragement and protection given, consequently 

 to a great extent on the personal feeling in the 

 matter of the superintendent, it must be said that 

 sufficient protection has not vet been c^iven in anv 

 public space in London. All the open spaces are 

 alike infested by cats, the deadliest enemy of 

 the Ijirds which are of most value — the resident 

 species that sing most of the year, and that nest 

 in low bushes or close to the ground. And so 

 lono- as cats are allowed to ranc^e about the 

 ])arks these species cannot be said to he 

 properly protected. This last point being of 

 great importance will be treated separately and 

 fully ill the next chapter ; the rest of this 

 chapter will be occupied in discussing an enemy 

 to the birds less diHiciilt to deal witli — the 

 inischicvoiis iiidiNidiials of onr own sjx'cies 



