232 BIRDS IN LONDON 



could not have seen a fresher, lovelier bit of 

 nature than this. But, alas ! the gardeners, who 

 had all the rest of the grounds to prettify and 

 vulgarise and work their will on, could not keejj 

 their hands off this precious spot ; for some time 

 past they have been cutting away the wild 

 growths, and digging and planting, until they 

 have well nigh spoiled it. 



There is no doubt that a vast majority of the 

 inhabitants of London, whose only glimpses of 

 nature can be had in the public parks, prefer 

 that that nature should be as little spoiled as 

 possible ; that there should be something of 

 wildness in it, of Nature's own negligence. It is 

 infinitely more to them than that excessive 

 smoothness and artificiality of which we see 

 so much. To exhibit flower-beds to those who 

 crave ' for nature is like placing a dish of 

 Turkish Delight before a hungry man : a 

 bramble-bush, a bunch of nettles, would suit 

 him better. And this universal feeling and 

 perpetual want of the Londoner should be 

 more considered by those who have charge of 

 our open spaces. 



Small birds are abundant in Peckham Park, 

 but there is no large species except the now 



