22 APRIL 1949, Page 15

Rus in Urbe What excellent opportunities for tasting the sweet

o' the year are open to the Londoner! Even the exhibitions show that spring feeling. For example, though I have not yet seen it, I have received most enthusiastic accounts of the show of miniature bird and animal studies by an airman, Squadron Leader H. E. Hervey, M.C., at the Medici Gallery, 7, Grafton Street. The fascinating models are of a new sort. As Tennyson in his old age wished he had seen in his youth such cases of birds as decorate the South Kensington Museum, an elderly poet might sigh over the late appearance of these dainty and accurate models. The exhibition is open till May 7th. The bluebells at Kew are as well-placed as in the wild ; but what is being done for the river-path thereabouts, which was the best of walks for any naturalist ? Its reparation has been too long deferred. As to the parks in general they arc always off before the pistol, getting a start of a week or more over the country in comparable latitude.