154 BIRD-LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



or to the English Channel itself, sea birds and 

 arboreal species consequently living within a 

 stone's-throw of each other. In the number of 

 woodland species the county can favourably com- 

 pare with any other district in the British Islands, 

 the Nightingale (which we admit is a loss indeed) 

 and the Siskin being practically the only absentees 

 among the usual bird populations of these parti- 

 cular districts. Some of the species are excep- 

 tionally abundant a fact probably due to the 

 absence of game preserving in many districts, and 

 the consequent immunity from persecution. On 

 the other hand, we are sorry to say there are 

 localities where the gamekeeper has succeeded 

 in well-nigh exterminating not a few of our most 

 interesting birds. To some extent the character 

 of the timber determines the presence of species. 

 Thus the fir and pine woods are specially favoured 

 by the Doves and Owls; the smaller fir plantations 

 and clumps of evergreen oaks are the retreat of 

 Goldcrests ; the large oak and beech woods are 

 resorted to by the Wood Wren ; in woods where 

 the timber is aged and decayed we find the Wood- 

 peckers most abundant ; elm and lime groves are 

 the chosen haunts of Rooks and Herons ; whilst 



