INTRODUCTION 



LONDON has often been described as a " wilderness of 

 bricks and mortar," or as a " desert of houses " ; but surely 

 the least observant of its citizens would protest nowadays 

 against such an obvious libel, and with very good reason. 

 There are few spots, even in the centre of this vast 

 Metropolis, where the lover of Nature may not find 

 something of interest ; he cannot wander far in any 

 direction without having some reminder of more rural 

 scenes. Not only so : now that Nature-study occupies 

 such a prominent place in the educational course of the 

 Council's elementary schools, steps are being taken on 

 every side to preserve and encourage that Wild Life 

 which not only beautifies London, but elevates its 

 citizens, and exerts a priceless influence upon the recep- 

 tive minds of the young. A warning note, however, is 

 necessary. Now that the " schoolmaster is abroad " in 

 downright earnest it cannot be too strongly impressed 

 upon the responsible authorities that the Nature-know- 

 ledge imparted should be of a sound, reliable character. 

 It is just as easy to teach facts as to impart errors ; and the 

 teacher must have a sound knowledge of the subject in 

 which he essays to instruct, but I regret to say, speaking 

 as far as birds are concerned, that this is only too often of 

 an unreliable, and even downright fictitious, character. I 

 have examined many of the text-books now in the hands 

 of elementary teachers, and I must confess myself amazed 

 at the quality of the information they contain. This 

 seems to imply that the compilers of these books do 

 not possess the necessary knowledge to enable them to 

 separate sound facts from the glaring errors only too 

 palpable to the specialist. In some of them the Swift is 

 spoken of as a " Swallow," the nests of certain common 

 birds are quite erroneously described, as are the eggs, 



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