314 BIBDS IN LONDON 



The stock-dove could easily be introduced 

 into London by placing its eggs, which can be 

 obtained at a trifling cost, under both the 

 domestic pigeon and wood-pigeon. It may be 

 that the wood-pigeon would also prove a suitable 

 foster-parent to the turtle-dove. This species is 

 a strict migrant, but if bred in the parks it would 

 no doubt come back annually from its journeys 

 abroad. In any case the experiment is well 

 worth trying. 



Before going on to the small birds which 

 may be introduced or encouraged to settle, 

 something need be said about the ornamental 

 water-fowl of the parks, which might be made 

 more than they are to us, and put to a new use. 

 There is no doubt that just as one daw attracts 

 other daws so do these water-birds attract 

 any of their wild relations which may be 

 passing at night. Mallards, widgeon, and teal, 

 supposed to be wild birds, have been known to 

 appear in some of the parks to pair with the 

 park birds and remain to breed ; in a few 

 instances some of these strangers have actually 

 been captured by the keepers and pinioned to 

 prevent them from leaving. This was a great 



