Urbanized Birds One is tempted to believe that birds are
being progressively urbanized. Not long since such rarities as the greenshank, the black-necked grebe, and the blue-headed wagtail were noted in the neighbourhood of the Welsh Harp.' Londoners have seen a cormorant and black redstarts, and unidentified hawks and corncrake. The Thames (by Chelsea and Rich- mond) has been populous with duck, some of rare species. In St. James's Park several species of gull, especially, I believe, the so-called common gull, have joined the crowds of black-headed gulls. Most of the greater rarities appear perhaps within the season of the autumnal migration, when birds drift almost aimlessly towards the South ; but (as censuses taken in Richmond go to prove) the sorts of birds; as well as the number of birds, that come to London and its suburbs (as to Birmingham) grows continually greater. Why shouldn't it? After all, birds would be safer in towns than anywhere else, if it were not for cats, which may be seen ominously streaking across to the parks any evening you please.
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