MUNICIPAL PARKS 139 



and attracts great attention. Those in the East End 

 have just as keen an appreciation as the frequenters of 

 Hyde Park, of the display of flowers. The green-house 

 in winter is much enjoyed, and a succession of bright 

 flowers is kept there during the dark months of the 

 year. The children's sand garden is also a delight. 



In spite of its situation in a densely-populated district, 

 the feathered tribes have not quite deserted the Park. 

 The moor-hen builds by the lake and the ringdove 

 nests in the trees. Though the greenfinch and the wren 

 have vanished, some songsters still gladden the world. 

 Blackbirds, thrushes, and chaffinches are by no means 

 uncommon. Some of these latter get caught, and take 

 part in the popular amusement of singing-matches. 

 Many men in the district keep chaffinches in cages, and 

 bring them to the Park on a Sunday morning that they 

 may practise their notes in chorus with their wild 

 associates, and so beat the caged bird of some rival. 

 Sometimes the temptation is too great, and the wild birds 

 are kidnapped to join the competition. 



FiNSBURY Park 



Finsbury is second in size, and second in date of con- 

 struction, of the Parks of North London. It is far from 

 Finsbury, being really in Hornsey, but as the idea, first 

 expressed about 1850, was to make a Park for the 

 borough of Finsbury, the name was retained although 

 the land acquired some years later was somewhat 

 remote. 



The movement was first set on foot when building 

 began to destroy all the open spaces near Finsbury Fields. 

 Some of these, like Spa Fields, had been popular places 

 of resort as Tea Gardens, but were being rapidly covered 



