THE MAGAZINE 



OF 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



MAY, 1836. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. Notes on the Habits of the Magpie* By Charles 

 Waterton, Esq. 



This beautiful frequenter of our woods and plains was noto- 

 rious, two thousand years ago, for pertness of character, and 

 volubility of tongue. Ovid, who knew more of birds than any 

 man of his time, gives us an account of a family of young 

 ladies in Macedonia, who were all changed into magpies ; and 

 he expressly tells us, that they retained their inordinate fond- 

 ness for gabble long after they had lost the lovely form of 

 woman, 



u Nunc quoque in alitibus, facundia prisca reman sit, 

 Rauca garrulitas, studiumque immane loquendi." 



And still their tongues went on, though changed to birds, 

 In endless clack, and vast desire of words. 



If similar transformations were to take place nowadays, I 

 suspect that many a father here in England would have to 

 look for his lost daughter, chattering amongst the lofty branches 

 of the trees in his park. 



I protect the magpie with greater care than, perhaps, any 

 other bird, on account of its having nobody to stand up for it. 

 Both rich and poor seem to entertain so great an antipathy to 

 this gay and lively bird in its wild state, that I often wonder 

 how the breed has managed to escape utter extirpation in this 

 populous district. The country gentlemen all agree in signino- 

 the death warrant of this friendless bird, because it is known 

 to suck eggs, and to strangle young game ; whilst, in general, 

 the lower orders have an insurmountable prejudice against it, 

 on the score of its supposed knowledge of their future des- 

 tiny. They tell you that, when four of these ominous birds 

 are seen together, it is a sure sign that, ere long, there will be 



Vol. IX. — No. 61. s 



