30 SEPTEMBER 1938, Page 20

THE MATTER OF REDPOLLS

• [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—Before—or lest—Sir Beach Thomas and I are plunged again into things which united us some twenty odd years ago, I should like to tell him that lesser redpolls have increased considerably here in the last three years. Our parks are now frequently their homes, and I have seen several nests with eggs and young this year. Goldcrests, too, are on the increase, as though these little birds were pitying a distressed area, whose inhabitants are a kindly folk.—Yours, &c.,