ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM A SOUTH LONDON SUBURB. 
birds in the autumn, and in the month of October parties of 
3 or 4 may frequently be seen journeying westward as they 
pass from tree to tree, whilst numbers remain about the sub- 
urban gardens for some days. On the 5th October, 1904, 
Kennington Park seemed to be alive with them. 
WREN. 
The Wren is to be found fairly commonly, and is most 
usually detected by its note; otherwise, owing to its creeping 
habits, the bird would often be overlooked. A few years back 
it used to breed in the old gardens towards Camberwell, but 
now nests, to my knowledge, no nearer than Dulwich Wood. 
Much in the manner of the Robin, it returns to the villa gar- 
dens for the winter months, and may be observed diligently 
examining the various growths on the walls and fences for in- 
sects and their eggs. Many of these autumn visitors are 
doubtless foreign migrants. The song is rarely heard before 
the middle or end of March, and continues vociferous until 
the young have flown; occasionally its lively utterance may 
be heard in mid-winter. 
MEADOW PIPIT. 
Of this species the nearest known breeding habitation is 
Mitcham Common, where twenty years ago it was rather plenti- 
ful. At the present time, owing to the very much greater use 
of the Common by the public, and the never-ceasing golf, only 
a few pairs are to be found nesting. The song commences 
about the second week in March, and ceases with the flight 
of the nestlings. The passage of a few in small parties, in 
autumn, was formerly observed yearly, but during the last ten 
years has only twice been noted, viz. in 1898 and 1902. The 
reason for this is not quite clear, for, although the species is 
locally much less common owing to the encroachments on its 
haunts, the flocks I used to see passing W. in October were 
foreigners, apparently bent on travelling far beyond our dis- 
trict. As a spring migrant, it has seldom been seen, but in 
March, 1897, I came upon a party of 10 on Tooting Common ; 
these, after being twice disturbed, rose high in the air and 
went off N.W. 
PIED WAG-TAIL. 
Not plentiful as a resident, but breeds yearly in Dulwich 
Park, nesting in the ivy and honeysuckle-covered tree stumps. 
It is also to be seen on Tooting Common in summer. As a 
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