176 BIRDS IN LONDON 



their passing relatives, who ' mock them with 

 their loss of liberty.' 



The water-birds (wild) are no better off in 

 this park than the songsters in the shrubberies, 

 yet it could easily be made more attractive and 

 safe as a breeding-place. As it is, the dabchick 

 seldom succeeds in hatching eggs, and even 

 the semi-domestic and easily satisfied moorhen 

 finds it hard to rear any young. 



The other great green space in the North- 

 west district is Hampstead Heath, which con- 

 tains, including Parliament Hill and other 

 portions acquired in recent years, -")07 acres. 

 On its outer border it touches the country, in 

 parts a very beautiful country ; while on its 

 opposite side it abuts on London proper, forming 

 on the south and south-east the boundary of an 

 unutterably dreary portion of the metropolis, 

 a congeries of large arid densely-populated 

 parishes Kentish and Camden Towns, Hollo- 

 way, Highbury, Canonbury, Islington, Hoxton : 

 thousands of acres of houses, thousands of miles 

 of streets, vast thoroughfares full of trams and 

 traffic and thunderous noises, interminable 

 roads, respectable and monotonous, and mean 



