22 BIRDS IN LONDON 



century quite common in London. Yarrell, in 

 his 'British Birds,', relates that he once saw 

 twenty-three together in Kensington Gardens. 

 In these gardens they bred, probably for the last 

 time, in 1856. Nor, so far as I know, do any 

 magpies survive in the woods and thickets on 

 the outskirts of the metropolis, except at two 

 spots in the south-west district. The fate of 

 the last pair at Hampstead has been related 

 by Harting, in Lobley's ' Hampstead Hill ' 

 (London, 1889). For several years this pair had 

 their nest in an unclimbable tree at the Grove ; 

 at length, one of the pair was shot by a local 

 bird-stuffer, after which the surviving bird twice 

 found and returned with a new mate ; but one 

 by one all were killed by the same miscreant. 



It would be easy enough for any person to 

 purchase a few magpies in the market and 

 liberate them in St. James's and Eegent's Parks, 

 and other suitable places, where, if undisturbed, 

 they would certainly breed ; but I fear that it 

 would not be an advisable thing to do at present, 

 on account of the very strong prejudice which 

 exists against this handsome bird. Thus, at St. 

 James's Park the one surviving bird is i one too 

 many,' according to the keepers. ' One for 



