MUNICIPAL PARKS 
1 39 
and attracts great attention. Those in the East End 
have just as keen an appreciation as the frequenters of 
Hyde Park, of the display of flowers. The green-house 
in winter is much enjoyed, and a succession of bright 
flowers is kept there during the dark months of the 
year. The children’s sand garden is also a delight. 
In spite of its situation in a densely-populated district, 
the feathered tribes have not quite deserted the Park. 
The moor-hen builds by the lake and the ringdove 
nests in the trees. Though the greenfinch and the wren 
have vanished, some songsters still gladden the world. 
Blackbirds, thrushes, and chaffinches are by no means 
uncommon. Some of these latter get caught, and take 
part in the popular amusement of singing-matches. 
Many men in the district keep chaffinches in cages, and 
bring them to the Park on a Sunday morning that they 
may practise their notes in chorus with their wild 
associates, and so beat the caged bird of some rival. 
Sometimes the temptation is too great, and the wild birds 
are kidnapped to join the competition. 
Finsbury Park 
Finsbury is second in size, and second in date of con¬ 
struction, of the Parks of North London. It is far from 
Finsbury, being really in Hornsey, but as the idea, first 
expressed about 1850, was to make a Park for the 
borough of Finsbury, the name was retained although 
the land acquired some years later was somewhat 
remote. 
The movement was first set on foot when building 
began to destroy all the open spaces near Finsbury Fields. 
Some of these, like Spa Fields, had been popular places 
of resort as Tea Gardens, but were being rapidly covered 
