16 LONDON BIRDS 



places before they leave us for the south, and sit in 

 long rows on the church roof, they settle who shall die 

 before they come again. Any one who has offended 

 them during the summer may expect to have his 

 name at least brought forward then for consideration. 



Wheatears are occasionally to be seen. Two small 

 parties lately settled in London for a few weeks in 

 August one in Hyde Park, the other in the Regent's 

 Park. They are very inquisitive little fellows; and, 

 though they will whisk off their pretty white tails 

 before one gets very near them, they cannot go far 

 without stopping for another good stare. They are 

 trapped in numbers in parts of England and France, 

 in little holes cut in the turf, and commanded by 

 common brick-falls. No bait is required, as they can- 

 not resist the temptation to hop in to explore, and 

 their next appearance in public is probably in vine 

 leaves. 



The Kingfisher is, perhaps, the last bird one would 

 expect to see in London. Two have been caught at 

 different times in the grounds of the Museum facing 

 Great Russell Street, and a pair, not long ago, made 

 themselves at home for some time near the ponds in 

 Regent's Park. Others have been noticed more than 

 once of late years on the St. James's Park water. 



When in 1703 the Duke of Buckingham obtained a 

 long lease of the grounds in which now stands the 

 Royal Palace to which he bequeathed his name, he 

 found ' under the windows ... a little wilderness full 

 of blackbirds and nightingales.' 



