The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-11-25

almost completely by birds In the space of a very few years. During the nest ing season no bird are more welded to solitude and freedom from all human interference than the black-headed gulls, which in winter time will share the errand boys lunch. and even take a sprat from the outstretched hand. Ninety-nine out of every hundred Lon don gulls. by the way, are of the so- called blaek-headed species, but the black or rather dark brown hoods are an ornament of the breeding season, and only to be be seen in adult birds just before they leave us for the sum- mer. It is interesting to observe that these visitors from the sea have by this time gained sufficient confidence in London and Londoners to stay to sleep within the boundaries of the city, in stead of flying off at sunset, as they have in former years, to roosting- grounds on the eyots in the neighbor- hood of grounds ofRichmond and Twie- kenham. Last year was the exception for them to stop the night on the day light feeding grounds this autumn in St. James Park. at any rate, it seems to have been decreed that it is to be the rule.
 Even more remarkable is the change which has come over the habits of our Londn wood pigeons, or ring doves since the day when they, too, joined in the rural exodus. and left the life of the country behind them. Wariest of birds in their rustic home, in the parks and squares of the metropolis they have lost every atom of fear for humanity, and are hardly at the pains to stir out of the way of the passerby
 Good living and lack of exercise, more over, are having their natural results ana the typical park pigeon flies with distinct effort, and has a presence like that of MT Weller, senior, with
 whom this eminently discreet and pro- vident bird would doubtless agree as to the Responsibility of width and vis- dcm." These park ring doves, of course, are not to be confused with the
 "city rigeons, which are the descend- ants of house pigeons, of one sort or another, and nest. not in the trees like the others, but in corners and crannies of tke masonry, of many well known buildings. Tho original wild stock of
 the ''city pigeons is not the wood pigeon. or ring dcye. but the rock dove, and many of these birds are regaining in their present emancipated condition, the characteristic dark bars across the Wings winch mark tie wild rock dove of the cliffs anl sea 1eaves.
 Other examples ct bircs which have voluntarily taken up their abode amid tne smoke and soar of London are
 mary If the wIld fe4vl upon the Ser> pentine and in St. James and other parks. One might stalk that quaint
 and impish diving bird, the little grebe or danchlck, for days ir lis chosen haunts on the upper Thames, before
 one could get half such good look at him and his strange green floating
 pudding of a nest as one may enjoy any summer day on these London wa ters, where he has lost half his shyness
 and wildness while keeping all his charm. Delightful little creatures are the newly matched young, little fluff balls, striped just like a tabby kitten,
 aud able. like most water birds, to run ttItu NWlIIl Ehiiu tlllNG dlIlUSIa IIQlllE #lile
 m nlent that they come out of the egg.
 It was formerly a question of some dis pute amcng naturalists how such kinds of wild auoks as build in trees succeed lin getting their young ones down in safety, for the little ones cannot fly, though they are lively enough on the ground or in the water. The point is
 wrapped in obscurity no longer, as far as the common mallard is concerned, since they have taken to building in
 the hollow elms in Ktnsington ardens.
 The old birds get their young from the nest to the ground in the simplest
 manner possible, by throwing them over the edge. The little ones break no
 bones, for they weigh no more than 50
 much thistle down, and are padding about on the round pond in next to no
 time afterfards. Of all the inttresting features of wild bird life in Londol..
 these showers of tiny duckIings are
 perhaps the most remarkapie. St. James Gazette.