1891.
July 18.
London, England.
  Cloudy with frequent heavy showers.
  Saunders called at 10 A.M. Called on a Mr. Young. He has
a collection of eggs and a very thorough knowledge of British
birds. We walked to St. James's Park, after leaving Mr Young.
The Park alive with Wood Pigeons, the lawns literally covered
with them, as tame as Sparrows, breed here. Long pond with 
flags and bushes in places. Moor Hens numerous; two pairs of
little Greebes, one with three downy young; Wood and Mandarin
Ducks, Tufted Ducks, a few Scaups and multitudes of tame Ducks 
of various colors. Also many Moorhens.
  Lunched with Young who is enthusiastic about birds. He has
bred Bearded Tits in an aviary. Neither he nor Saunders has
ever heard the Bittern "boom". The bird is now practically only
a migratory visitor to England.
  When Saunders and I left we walked back through St. James's
Park, thence by cab to the "zoo". It was more than I had picture-
ed it. Many of the small British birds in aviaries, one cage
with Tits of several species supplied with old stumps. A Night-
ingale singing freely; a keeper said it was a "hen bird".
Saunders thought it had learned much of its song from its various
neighbors but both admitted that a part was normal. A brilliant
varied song, long sustained.