CONTENTS xi 



PAGE 



appearance and habits — An testlietic bird — Its increase 

 — The dabchick in London — Its increase — Appearance 

 and habits — At CHssold Park — The stock-dove in Lon- 

 don . . 89 



CHAPTBE VII 

 London's little bieds 



Number of species, common and uncommon — The London 

 sparrow — His predominance, hardiness, and intelHgence 

 — A pet sparrow — Breeding irregularities — A love-sick 

 bird — Spai-row shindies : their probable cause — ' Sparrow 

 chapels ' — Evening in the parks — The starling — His in- 

 dependence — Characteristics — Blackbird, thrush, and 

 robin — White blackbirds — The robin — Decrease in 

 London — Habits and disposition . . . . 104 



CHAPTBE VIII 



MOVEMENTS OF LONDON BIRDS 



Migration as seen in London — Swallows in the parks — 

 Fieldfares — A flock of wild geese — Autumn movements 

 of resident species — Wood-pigeons — A curious habit — 

 Dabchicks and moorhens — Crows and rooks — The 

 Palace daws — Starlings — Eobms — A Tower robin and 

 the Tower sparrows — Passage birds in the parks — 

 Small birds wintering in London— Influx of birds 

 during severe frosts — Occasional visitors — The black- 

 headed gull — A winter scene in St. James's Park . 129 



CHAPTBE IX 



A SURVEY OP THE PARKS : WEST LONDON ' 



A general survey of the metropolitan parks — West London 

 — Central parks, with Holland Park — A bird's highway 

 — Decrease of songsters — The thrush in Kensington 



