156 
NATURE NOTES. 
gaunt and bare as a factory. Wherever one wanders in Kew Gardens, one finds 
the mark of the spoiler ; until one looks at ihe most lovely and cherished bits 
with a fear, that their destruction is only a question of lime. The Director may 
be a shining light in the world of science, but it is evident that he is destitute of 
an atom of artistic feeling. The wildness of sylvan nature, and the picturesque 
trimness of antique gardens, seem alike distasteful to him. As the nation has to 
pay for the maintenance of Kew Gardens, we have a right to protest against their 
being degraded into something between a cockney tea-garden and a nurseryman’s 
ground. S. E. 
A Note for Ramblers. — The attention of the readers of this journal has 
frequently been called to Mr. Walker Miles’s FielJ-path Rambles, a series of 
admirable guides to the finest scenery of Kent and Surrey. The success of these 
little books is in no small degree due to the excellent discretion used in the 
selection and arrangement of the routes, and to the wonderful precision with 
which the latter are described. Moreover they open up to the Londoner districts 
which he has never visited, and of which perchance he may not have heard. 
Unfortunately the preparation of these handbooks requires the exercise of great 
industry and care, and as a natural consequence the production has not been so 
rapid as could be wished. In the future, however, the rate of publication is 
likely to be doubled ; for there is now associated with Mr. Miles a colleagu*, 
Mr. Alf. Holliday, who has undertaken the description of a series of rambles, to 
be completed in four parts, on the north side of London. The first part — Over 
the Northern Heights (U. E. Taylor & Son, 19, Old Street, London, E.C., 
price 6d.) — has just been issued, and provides a number of country walks between 
such points as Hampstead, Hornsey, Harrow. Edgeware and Mamet. Brief items 
of information are given about any objects of interest that may Ije passed on the 
way ; and though time forbids the application of a practical test to the book, one 
may fairly conclude from the minuteness of descriptive detail that the directions are 
as accurate as circumstances could require. One h.ails with delight the prosprect of 
escaping from hot, dusty London, and of enjoying the manifold benefits of fresh 
air and scenery in the easily accessible neighbourhood recommended to our notice 
by Mr. Holliday. A. G. 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Robins in Kew Gardens.— Any of your bird-loving readers who frequent 
Kew Gardens, may spend many happy hours, as I have done this spring, in the 
society of unusually tame and friendly robins. One of them, whose home is 
amongst the tangled, ivy-grown bushes in the centre of the fernery, comes to meet 
me every morning as I enter by the Cumberland Gate. He takes food from my 
hand, and often sits by me and warbles his thanks. For the last two months I 
have had the privilege of knowing all about his domestic affairs. I have watched 
him feed his mate, and later on his little family of brown speckled robins, who cannot 
yet claim the title of redbreasts. Then in the rhododendron dell, I have many other 
.ac(|uaintances in the robin world; they fly towards me as 1 go along the walk, 
and sometimes utter a little burst of song to attract my attention. Of course I am 
always well provided with stores of suitable food lor them ; crumbs of soft biscuit, 
sponge cake or suet pudding. It is really astonishing how these birds recognize 
me and closely approach me, even when the gardens are full of visitors. So 
much may be learnt of the ways, habits and dispositions of birds by studying them 
in a place where they are carefully protected, and where the gardeners and 
keepers Seem kindly disposed towards them. 
Springfietd, Kew, T. SPENDER. 
London Moor-hens. — Your readers may possibly be interested in a few 
notes about a pair of moor-hens, who have made their home on a piece of water 
close to our vicarage here. The nest was placetl in a most coiv-picuous position, 
resting on an eposed portion of a sunken tiee trunk, and absolutely unshrouded 
by boughs or herbage of any kind. From the opposite bank, at the distance of 
less than ten yards, the bird could be watched sitting on the eggs hour after hour. 
