Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/113

Rh occurring in this neighbourhood within the last few years.— (Mount Nod, Greenhithe).

The Wood-Pigeons in the London Parks.—That birds and other animals accommodate themselves to their surroundings is well known to field naturalists, but a few remarks showing how the habits of the London Wood-Pigeons have been affected may perhaps not be altogether uninteresting. In the first place they have taken to perching freely on the buildings in the vicinity (as is the case with the Brighton Rooks), and on one occasion I saw a pair carrying on a courtship on the top of one of the chimney-pots of St. George's Hospital. I was struck with astonishment at seeing a Wood-Pigeon sitting on its nest in the tracery outside a large window of the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam in 1891, and I subsequently learnt that the nest had been seen in the same situation on a previous occasion; but I was still more surprised to see one of this species gather a twig from a tree in St. James's Park and carry it to a window of the India Office, where it disappeared in a niche, just the sort of place for a House Pigeon. In the wild state I have often found them breeding from April to October; but three or four years ago, on Feb. 8th, during a hard frost, when hundreds of people were skating on the ice in St. James's Park, I saw a Wood Pigeon sitting on a nest within fifty yards of the skaters. The nest was, however, forsaken shortly afterwards. The weather had been previously very mild. This winter, on Dec. 27th and 29th, 1896, I noticed one of these birds preparing a nest in an elm tree opposite to the India Office. The greater number of them, however, leave London in the autumn, returning early in spring. I once witnessed such a return between 4 and 5 p.m. on a February afternoon. A large flock was circling round at a great height, gradually getting lower and lower, till it finally settled in Kensington Gardens. From that date the parks were full of Pigeons. They become very tame, perching on the arms and shoulders of those who are accustomed to feed them. In the early spring they may be seen busily feeding on the tender shoots and flower-buds of the elm and other trees. Numbers of House-Pigeons have found their way to the lawn on the north of Rotten Row, which is frequented by their wild cousins, and they have learned to perch in a large plane tree in the dell, a favourite resting-place of the wild birds. I have seen as many as fifty tame birds sitting in the tree at the same time.— (64, Hereford Road, Bays water).

Rooks in the West End of London.—With reference to my communication (Zool. 1895, p. 227) recording the nesting of Rooks in Connaught Square and Stanhope Place, I am sorry to have to state that both these sites have been untenanted during the year 1896; so that I fear in all probability the year 1895 will be the last date for the breeding of Rooks in the West