The Birds 
of London. 
(67) 
THE BIRD WORLD. 
The Birds of London. 
Sweet Songsters Found in a.nd Around the 
Metropolis. 
Mr. Ernest Edgar Howe contributes 
to “ Nature Notes ” a charming study 
of bird life in the vicinity of South- 
East London. He has seen no fewer 
than seventy-seven species of birds 
during ten years of careful observation, 
thirty-three of which are true migrants. 
He writes:—“Taking the district of 
Eltham and its close proximity, extend¬ 
ing towards Plumstead and the low- 
lying country round about, my obser¬ 
vations for this article extend no 
further than Belvedere Park, not more 
than one and three-quarter miles from 
Bostal Heath, which latter place is 
well known to the public of this part 
of the Metropolis. During the course 
of a year one may observe many varieties 
of our larger birds passing over from 
time to time, such as Herons, Wild 
Geese, Curlews, etc., but the seventy- 
seven birds enumerated range from the 
“Golden-crowned Wren” to_the Wood 
Pigeon; so that I do not touch any of 
the larger varieties, but confine myself 
to the smaller species; and I feel quite 
certain that the majority of people have 
no idea of the great variety of summer 
migrants that breed regularly with us 
each year, at no great distance from 
our homes. The first summer visitor 
who makes himself known near London 
is the Chiff-chaff, and he is with us 
before March is gone; yet a little later 
the Wryneck keeps him company, to¬ 
gether with our charming little warbler, 
the Willow-wren. Perhaps the Wood- 
wren may be near. 
A Handsome Wagtail. 
“ The male Yellow Wagtail is the 
handsomest of all the Wagtails that 
cheer outer London. Many Titmice you 
see in the young trees, perhaps hanging 
head downwards. Many of this family 
are represented here, and at no great 
distance away. The Great Tit, to¬ 
gether with the well-known Tom Tit or 
Blue Tit, is almost sure to be in your 
garden: a little further away you see 
the Coal Tit; and if you want the 
Marsh Tit, you will perhaps find him 
foraging around some old stump, in 
some out-of-the-way place, but at no* 
great distance. The handsome long¬ 
tailed Titmouse, together with last 
year’s progeny, is often about, though 
not so commonly met with as the other 
Titmice; and should you see the rare 
Bearded Tit and Crested Tit, then you 
have found them all; but it can only 
be by accident that specimens of the 
latter wander so near London. I saw 
a very handsome male Bearded Tit 
which had been shot near Eltham; but 
the wanton destruction of our rare birds 
is an every-day occurrence. Down 
amongst the stumps and clearings of 
the old Abbey Woods you observe many 
Redstarts. 
A Haunt of the Warblers. 
“ Just off Bostal Woods, and in the 
surrounding undergrowth, the Nightin¬ 
gale rears its young every year; and, 
thanks to its cunning in selecting a spot,, 
is often able to avoid the grimy hand 
of the obnoxious small boy, who 
collects all birds’ eggs, great or small, 
usually taking the whole clutch from a 
nest. Perhaps your walk may take 
you around the low-lying marshland of 
these parts, amongst the sloe and other 
bushes. You observe a little brown 
bird flitting in and out of the bushes and 
reeds; that is the Sedge Warbler pro¬ 
bably, or it might be the Reed Warbler,, 
for they are very much alike. When it 
is evening, if you throw a clod into the 
bushes where the Sedge Warbler may 
be, he will retaliate with a song, which,, 
if a little bit jerky, is no mere apology, 
and he may continue this particular 
song well into the night. He is- the 
Nightingale of the marshes. A rare 
bird, the Pied Flycatcher (if you can 
