THE GROWING SOCIABILITY OF METROPOLITAN WILD BIRDS.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") Sin,—" W. H. B.'s " very interesting letter on the above sub- ject in the Spectator of April 27th contains no reference to the most wonderful haunt of wild birds in London,—namely, Battersea Park. I have never in a wild wood seen so large a number of nests, easily detected by the passer-by, as are to be seen in the shrubs and trees of Battersea Park. One wood- pigeon is at present sitting on a nest about 10 ft. from the ground in a thick shrub, of which the branches touch the passer-by on a much-frequented path. This bird seems quite insensible to any possibility of danger from the troops of little Londoners, boys and girls, who daily romp shouting close to her nest. The nest stands about 3 ft. in from the path, and about 10 ft. from the ground. When I passed it last Sunday the bird was sitting on it.—I am, Sir, &c., W. M. CROOK. National Liberal Club, Whitehall Place, S.W.
P.S.—If any of your readers has lost a cockatoo, it may interest the owner to know that a white cockatoo (sulphur- crested, so far as I could see) was flying about the grounds of Chelsea Hospital last Sunday afternoon.
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