156 BIRDS IN LONDON 



In going into a more detailed account of the 

 parks, it is not my intention to furnish anything 

 like a formal or guide-book description, assigning 

 a space to each, but, taking them as they come, 

 singly, in groups and chains, to touch or dwell 

 only on those points that chiefly concern us 

 their characters, comparative advantages, and 

 their needs, with regard to bird life. Beginning 

 with the central parks and other parks situated 

 in the West district, we will then pass to the 

 North-west and North districts, and so on until 

 the circle of the metropolis has been completed. 



The central parks, Kensington Gardens and 

 Hyde Park, Green Park, and St. James's Park, 

 contain respectively 274, 300, 55, and 60 acres 

 in round numbers 750 acres. Add to this 

 Holland Park, the enclosed meadow-like grounds 

 adjoining Kensington Palace, Hyde Park Gardens, 

 St. George's burial-ground, and Buckingham 

 Palace Gardens, and we get altogether a total of 

 about nine hundred to one thousand acres of 

 almost continuous green country, extending 

 from High Street, Kensington, to Westminster. 

 This very large area (for to the eyes of the flying 

 bird it must appear as one) is favourably situated 



