BIFiDS FOB LONDON 323 



persecution of the sparrows, who hate him for 

 his brilhant dress, may drive him away ; still, it 

 would be a good plan to construct an artificial 

 bank or rockery, with breeding holes, on one of 

 the islands at a suitable place like Battersea. 



The hard-billed birds would no doubt be the 

 easiest to introduce, owing to the large number 

 of sparrows that nest in the park trees, from 

 which the eggs could be taken and those of 

 other species substituted ; and if by acting as 

 foster-parents to other finches the sparrows 

 would only be breeding crows to pick their own 

 eyes out, as the proverb says, so much the better. 

 Chaffinches and greenfinches have been success- 

 fully reared by .sparrows ; and to these two 

 other equally desirable species might be added: 

 yellowhammer, corn- bunting, reed-bunting, bull- 

 finch, goldfinch, and linnet. These are charm- 

 ing birds and good songsters ; even the corn- 

 bunting, although generally belittled by its 

 biographers, is, compared with the sparrow, an 

 accomplished musician. They are furthermore 

 all exceedingly hardy, and probably as well 

 able to thrive in London as the sparrow itself, 

 although not so prolific and pushing as that 

 sometimes troublesome bird. It is, indeed, on 



