MOVEMENTS OF LONDON BIEDS 147 



During the memorable frost of 1894-5 the 

 birds again appeared in immense numbers, and 

 would doubtless have soon left us, or else 

 perished of cold and hunger on the snow-covered 

 hummocks of ice which filled the Thames 

 and gave it so arctic an aspect, but for the 

 quantities of food cast to them every day. As 

 in previous years when gulls have visited the 

 Thames in considerable numbers, many of the 

 birds found their way into the parks, and were 

 especially numerous in St. James's Park, where 

 they formed the habit of feeding with the 

 ornamental water-fowl. 



We have since experienced three exception- 

 ally mild winters, so that the gulls were not driven 

 by want to invade us ; but they have come to 

 us nevertheless, not having forgotten the gene- 

 rous hospitality London extended to them in the 

 frost. St. James's Park has now become the 

 favourite wintering place of a considerable 

 number of birds, and their habit is to spend the 

 day on the lake, feeding on the broken bread 

 and scraps of meat thrown to them from the 

 bridge, and leaving about sunset to spend the 

 night on the river. In the autumn of 1896, 

 three or four days after the gulls began to 



L 2 



