276 BIRDS IN LONDON 



bird-catching is permitted in some of the parks ; 

 park constables and park labourers have also 

 been allowed to take nests of thrushes and other 

 songsters containing young birds, for their own 

 pleasure or to dispose of to others. 



"We have seen that the differences between 

 park and park, with regard to the abundance of 

 bird life, are very great ; but despite these dif- 

 ferences, which depend on the amount of en- 

 couragement and protection given, consequently 

 to a great extent on the personal feeling in the 

 matter of the superintendent, it must be said that 

 sufficient protection has not yet been given in any 

 public space in London. All the open spaces are 

 alike infested by cats, the deadliest enemy of 

 the birds which are of most value — the resident 

 species that sing most of the year, and that nest 

 in low bushes or close to the ground. And so 

 long as cats are allowed to range about the 

 parks these species cannot be said to be 

 properly protected. This last point being of 

 great importance will be treated separately and 

 fully in the next chapter ; the rest of this 

 chapter will be occupied in discussing an enemy 

 to the birds less difficult to deal with — the 

 mischievous individuals of our own species 



