NOBTH-WEST AND NOBTH LONDON 175 



encouraged, and if this park was not so large, 

 and so placed as to be in some degree in touch 

 with the country, it would be in the same 

 melancholy condition as Hyde Park. The 

 species now found are the blackbird and thrush, 

 greenfinch (rare) and chaffinch, robin, dunnock, 

 and wren (the last very rare), and in summer 

 two or three migrants are added. But most of 

 the birds find it hard to rear any young owing 

 to the birds'-nesting boys and loafers, who are 

 not properly watched, and to the cats that 

 infest the shrubberies. Even by day cats have 

 the liberty of this park. Wood-pigeons come in 

 numbers to feed in the early morning, and a 

 few pairs build nests, but as a rule their eggs are 

 taken. Carrion crows from North London visit 

 the park on most days, and make occasional 

 incursions into the Zoological Gardens, where 

 they are regarded with very unfriendly feelings. 

 They go there on the chance of picking up a 

 crumb or two dropped from the tables of the 

 pampered captives ; and perhaps for a peep at 

 the crow-house, where many corvines from 

 many lands may be seen turning their eyes 

 skyward, uttering at the same time a cry of 

 recognition, to watch the sweeping flight of 



