BIRDS OF NORTH-EAST LONDON 
n 
Stoke Newington — taken as a starting point — although distant 
but little over three miles due north of the Royal Exchange, and 
intersected by the four miles’ circle from Charing Cross, still 
retains on its western border some of the characteristic features 
it possessed a century ago when it was a small rural village, 
and formed a favourite place of abode for the wealthy citizens of 
the time. Many of its ancient buildings, grey with age, still 
remain. Of these the old church of St. Mary, standing side by 
side with, and overshadowed by, the lofty spire of the modern 
edifice known as “ the new church,” deserves mention from the 
fact that its picturesque graveyard is the burial place of Mrs. 
Barbauld and her brother, Dr. Aikin, the joint authors of that 
once famous work “ Evenings at Home,” in which appeared the 
charming little story of “Eyes and no Eyes; or the Art of 
Seeing.” Probably nothing has ever been written which has 
done more to encourage a love of Nature than this simple 
narrative. 
Clissold Park, consisting of fifty-three acres, partly encircled 
by the New River, immediately adjoins the two churches, to 
which, with its fine old trees, it forms a charming background. 
Here the mistle thrush, song thrush, blackbird, starling, chaf- 
finch, redbreast, wren, great titmouse, coal titmouse, blue 
titmouse, hedge sparrow, and of course, the ubiquitous house- 
sparrow, are more or less common and, with the exception of 
the coal titmouse, breed. Carrion crows are often seen. Three 
years ago a pair commenced building, but were disturbed and 
forsook the nest. A few months later a hooded crow was iden- 
tified flying across. Rooks are nearly always about, but do not 
now breed nearer than Tottenham and Walthamstow. Attempts 
have recently been made to establish a rookery in the park. 
Young birds with pinioned wings have been introduced, artificial 
nests constructed, and other means adopted, but up to the 
present time without success. The jackdaw once or twice has 
nested in holes in the trees, but usually takes up its quarters in 
the vicinity of the old church. All through the year the wood 
pigeon, and in summer the spotted flycatcher, are familiar sights. 
Both birds nest freely about. By the rushy margins of the 
islands on the miniature lakes the moor-hen usually brings forth 
three distinct broods every season, the first batch assisting in 
the charge and feeding of the later arrivals. The late Bishop 
Stanley, it will be remembered, long ago, called attention to this 
interesting habit. The little grebe or dabchick forms her watery 
nest close by, but not always with a satisfactory result. Great 
animosity is displayed towards the species by the moor-hens 
and tame swans. The nest is often destroyed, and its lawful 
occupants driven away. The coot is an occasional visitor to the 
waters, and the curlew has, several times during the last two or 
three years, been identified passing over. This year (1899) a pair 
of tufted ducks have sojourned there, and in August, 1898, a 
landrail was discovered near. Rats infest the islands, and in the 
