PROTECTION OF BIRDS IN THE PARKS 281 



or fifty labourers were called in and set to work 

 to form a pond at this very spot, and it was 

 determined to leave a few yards of ground with 

 the thorn-bush standing on it as an island in the 

 middle of the excavation. When the digging- 

 began the first eggs had been laid in the nest, but 

 in spite of the crowd of men at work every day and 

 all day long round the bush, and the incessant 

 noises of loud talking and of shovelling clay into 

 carts and shouting of carters to their horses, the 

 birds did not forsake their task ; the eggs were all 

 laid, sat on, the young duly hatched and success- 

 fully reared amidst the tumult ; and during all 

 this time the men engaged on the work were so 

 jealous of the birds' safety .that they would not 

 allow any of the numberless visitors to the park 

 to come near the bush to look closely at the 

 nest. So long as the young were in the nest 

 the workmen were the chaffinch's bodyguard. 



Judging from personal knowledge of the 

 people of London, I should say that these work- 

 men showed in their action the feeling which the 

 people have generally about the wild birds in the 

 parks, and that the rook-slayers mentioned 

 above were rare exceptions, the small percentage 

 of ruffians which we always have to count with, 



