SURVEY OF THE PARKS : WEST LONDON 157 



to attract and support a very considerable 

 amount of bird life. At its eastern extremity 

 we see that it is close to the river, along which 

 birds are apt to travel ; while three miles and a 

 half away, at its other end, it is again near the 

 Thames, where the river makes a great bend 

 near Hammersmith, and not very distant from 

 the more or less green country about Acton. 



There is no doubt that a majority of the 

 summer visitants and wanderers generally that 

 appear in the central parks come through 

 Holland Park, as they are usually first observed 

 in the shrubberies and trees at Kensington 

 Palace. Holland Park, owing to its privacy and 

 fine old trees, is a favourite resort of wild birds, 

 and is indeed a better sanctuary than any public 

 park in London. From the palace shrubberies 

 the new-comers creep in along the Flower Walk, 

 the Serpentine, and finally by way of the Green 

 Park to St. James's Park. But they do not 

 stay to breed, the place not being suitable for 

 such a purpose. It is possible that a few find 

 nesting-places in Buckingham Palace Gardens, 

 and that others drift into Battersea Park. 



Another proof that these parks — so sadly mis- 

 managed from the bird-lover's point of view^ — 



