Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/305

Rh of my friends observe birds regularly in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, and report to me the results of their observations. So if the Sedge Warbler has recently nested by the Serpentine, it is remarkable that I should have neither seen nor heard anything of it, especially as it is an extremely noisy and self-assertive species. According to my experience it is a very uncommon visitor to the Serpentine; I have only come across it in three years out of the last ten. On the other hand, the Reed Warbler is a fairly regular spring visitor. The House Martin (Chelidon urbica) nested annually on the houses in Kensington Gardens Terrace till 1887. As to the Rooks in Gray's Inn, having carefully watched their nesting operations, I am doubtful whether there are more than half a dozen occupied nests at the present time. It is to be hoped that Mr. W. de Winton is right in estimating the number at ten or twelve. There are two inhabited nests of the Carrion Crow in Kensington Gardens this year. Mr. Meade King rightly takes exception to the inclusion of the Wild Duck in the list of species breeding in London. I do not know of any place within four miles of Charing Cross where the Wild Duck nests, or is at all likely to nest. The birds on the Serpentine are perhaps the wildest of all the London park Ducks, but they must all be considered semi-domesticated. Even after the annual slaughter of parti-coloured specimens, I doubt whether of the birds lefc, more than half are coloured like wild birds. If Anas boscas is to be included in the list of wild species nesting in London, it is time to consider the claims of Columba livia.— (51, Gloucester Terrace, Hyde Park, W.).

Your correspondent, Mr. C. Meade King, is not quite accurate in stating (ante, p. 190) that the rookery in Gray's Inn is the "last London rookery."

In the grounds of "Rookwood," High Street, Hampstead, about three pairs nest annually. This is some hundred yards within the four-mile radius.— (West Hampstead).

Birds in London.—The Sky Lark (Alauda arvensis) is to be heard at Shepherd's Bush, London. At first when I heard it from my garden I thought it was a caged bird singing somewhere near, yet thought the song too full and joyous for a captive; and several mornings since, when foraging for my aviary pets on some open ground near, it rose within a short distance, and commenced singing joyously but a few feet above my head. I feel sure its nest is close at hand (though I failed to find it in the short time at my disposal), as I have since heard and seen it almost daily in and about the same place for the past six weeks.— (6, Rylett Crescent, Shepherd's Bush).

[Mr. W.H. Hudson, in his 'Birds in London,' relates that "during the last two exceptionally mild winters a few Sky Larks have lived contentedly in the comparatively small green area at Lambeth Palace."—] Zool. 4th ser. vol. II., June, 1898.