ST. JAMES'S & GREEN PARKS 63 



the original. In the true version he describes the Park 

 with its rows of trees and "admirable prospect" of 

 the suburbs, and mentions that the King had "erected 

 a tall Pile in the Park, the better to make use of 

 Telescopes, with which Sir Robert Murray shew'd me 

 Saturn and the Satellites of Jupiter." Not a word about 

 the ducks. But in the spurious parody of 1698 there 

 is a humorous description, which shows how the next 

 generation laughed at the amusements of King Charles II. 

 "I was at St. James's Park; there were no Pavillions, 

 nor decoration of Treilliage and Flowers ; but I saw 

 there a vast number of Ducks; these were a most 

 surprising sight. I could not forbear to say to Mr. 

 Johnson, who was pleased to accompany me in this 

 Walk, that sure all the ponds in England had contri- 

 buted to this profussion of Ducks ; which he took so 

 well, that he ran immediately to an Old Gentleman that 

 sate in a Chair, and was feeding of 'em. He rose up very 

 obligingly, embraced me, and saluted me with a Kiss, 

 and invited me to Dinner ; telling me he was infinitely 

 oblig'd to me for flattering the King's Ducks." 



Little attention was paid to the wild fowl in the 

 Park after that date, until the Prince Consort took an 

 interest in them. In 1841 he became the Patron of the 

 Ornithological Society, and the cottage on Duck Island 

 was built for the Bird-keeper. For some thirty years 

 the Society flourished, and kept up the supply and cared 

 for the birds in the Park. In 1867, however, their 

 numbers were greatly reduced, and the Society sold 

 their collection of birds to H.M. Office of Works, 

 which has since then had them under its charge. It is 

 pleasant to know that the old tradition of the wild fowl 

 in that part of the Park is maintained. Although the 



