THE GABBION GROW IN THE BALANCE 33 



extermination, for the birds are constantly 

 passing and repassing across London, visiting 

 all the parks where there are large trees, on 

 their way to and from their various feeding- 

 grounds. Hyde Park with Kensington Gardens 

 is one of their favourite stopping places ; one or 

 more pairs may be seen there on most mornings, 

 frequently at noon again on their return to 

 Richmond, Kew, and Syon Park, and to the 

 northern heights of London. On the morning 

 of October 10, 1896, 1 saw eight carrion crows, 

 in pairs, perched at a considerable distance apart 

 on the elm-tops near the palace in Kensington 

 Gardens. After calling for some time on the 

 trees, they began to pursue and buffet one 

 another with violence, making the whole place 

 in the meantime resound with their powerful, 

 harsh, grating cries. Their mock battle over, 

 they rose to a considerable height in the air 

 and went away towards Hammersmith. It 

 seemed to me a marvellous thing that I had 

 witnessed such a scene in such a place. But it 

 is not necessary to see a number of carrion 

 crows together to feel impressed with the 

 appearance of the bird. There are few finer 

 sights in the wild bird life of London than one 



D 



