NOTES AND QUERIES. 273 
of my friends observe birds regularly in Kensington Gardens and Hyde 
Park, and report to me the results of their observations. So if the Sedge 
Warbler has recently nested by the Serpentine, it is remarkable that I 
should have neither seen nor heard anything of it, especially as it is an 
extremely noisy and self-assertive species. According to my experience it 
is a very uncommon visitor to the Serpentine; I have only come across it 
in three years out of the last ten. On the other hand, the Reed Warbler 
is a fairly regular spring visitor. The House Martin (Chelidon urbica) 
nested annually on the houses in Kensington Gardens Terrace till 1887. 
As to the Rooks in Gray’s Inn, having carefully watched their nesting 
operations, I am doubtful whether there are more than half a dozen occupied 
nests at the present time. It is to be hoped that Mr. W. de Winton is right 
in estimating the number at ten or twelve. There are two inhabited nests 
of the Carrion Crow in Kensington Gardens this year. Mr. Meade King 
rightly takes exception to the inclusion of the Wild Duck in the list of 
species breeding in London. I do not know of any place within four miles 
of Charing Cross where the Wild Duck nests, or is at all likely to nest. The 
birds on the Serpentine are perhaps the wildest of all the London park 
Ducks, but they must all be considered semi-domesticated. Even after the 
annual slaughter of parti-coloured specimens, I doubt whether of the birds 
left, more than half are coloured like wild birds: If Anas boscas is to be 
included in the list of wild species nesting in London, it is time to consider 
the claims of Columba livia. — A. Hoxts Macruzrson (51, Gloucester 
Terrace, Hyde Park, W.). 
Your correspondent, Mr. C. Meade King, is not quite accurate in stating 
(ante, p. 190) that the rookery in Gray’s Inn is the “ last London rookery.” 
In the grounds of “ Rookwood,” High Street, Hampstead, about three pairs 
nest annually. ‘This is some hundred yards within the four-mile radius. — 
H. Rarcuirr Kipner (West Hampstead). 
Birds in London.— The Sky Lark (dlauda arvensis) is to be heard 
at Shepherd’s Bush, London. At first when I heard it from my garden I 
thought it was a caged bird singing somewhere near, yet thought the song 
too full and joyous for a captive; and several mornings since, when 
foraging for my aviary pets on some open ground near, it rose within a 
short distance, and commenced singing joyously but a few feet above my 
head. I feel sure its nest is close at hand (though I failed to find it in the 
Short time at my disposal), as I have since heard and seen it almost daily in 
and about the same place for the past six weeks. — W. T. Pace (6, Rylett 
Crescent, Shepherd’s Bush). 
[Mr. W. H. Hudson, in his ‘ Birds in London,’ relates that ‘“ during 
the last two exceptionally mild winters a few Sky Larks have lived con- 
tentedly in the comparatively small green area at Lambeth Palace.”—Ep.| 
Zool, 4th ser. vol. II., June, 1898. T 
