No one picked up on that one. The reference about Corncrakes is a direct quote from Chapter 2 of “Three Men in a Boat”. But the "bally parrots" didn't appear along the Thames until 100 years later.Meanwhile, I am reading that splendid book “Three Men in a Boat”. Not only is is a great read but it has some wonderful insights into the wildlife along the Kingston/Runnymead area of the River Thames in the late 1800s (Jerome K Jerome wrote the book in 1889). At the beginning of chapter 2:
“...the moorhen’s plaintive cry and the harsh croak of the corncrake stirs the awed hush...”
So corncrakes along the Thames in those days? How times have changed.
But more intriguingly is in Chapter 5, Harris complains about being woken up by those “bally parrots.” George tries to calm things by explaining that:”A few of those ruffians escaped from London Zoo three or four years ago and they TOO seem to have taken a liking for this area; you mustn’t blame them.”
April Fools!
Jack