272 BIRDS IN LONDON 



localities on the outskirts : missel-thrush, nut- 

 hatch, tree-creeper, oxeye, and lesser spotted 

 woodpecker. 



2. Some resident species are reduced to 

 small remnants and are confined to one or to 

 a very few spots ; in this category we must 

 place the rook, the jackdaw, and the owl. 



3. Several other resident species, formerly 

 common, have greatly decreased in numbers, 

 and in some of the open spaces appear to be 

 dying out. Among these are the thrush, black- 

 bird, robin, wren, hedge-sparrow, greenfinch, 

 chaffinch, goldfinch, bullfinch, linnet, and lark. 

 Two of these species, thrush and blackbird, are 

 now increasing in several of the open spaces 

 under the County Council, and here and there 

 two or three of the other species named are also 

 increasing. 



4. The decrease has been in most, but not 

 all, of the old residents. So far the carrion 

 crow does not appear to have suffered. Two 

 small birds, sparrow and starling, have un- 

 doubtedly greatly increased. 



5. At the same time that some of the old 

 residents have been decreasing or dying out, a 

 few other species have come in from the outside, 



