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Pictures of Bird Life 



NiGHijAK [Copn'iiiiilgiis cnropaiis) ox Upper Branch of Oak-tree. 



in the autumn luunbers of Jays spread into tlie surrounding 

 country, and fill the places of those shot and trapped by 

 keepers. The Jay, no doubt, is Aery fond of eggs ; but 

 I fancy that the Blackbirds and Thrushes suffer more from 

 their depredations than any of the game birds. Keepers, 

 however, iuA aria])ly destroy all they can. The ^Magpie also 

 suffers for similar misdeeds, and is in consequence generally 

 a scarce l)ird wliere game is preserved. I have seen them 

 sometimes even close to the town, and heard of their nesting 

 in an orchard. But nowhere in England is the Magpie 

 the abundant and familiar species it is in Ireland, Sweden, 

 France, or Spain, where sometimes it seems to be the most 

 eommon bird, and also the tamest. 



Jackdaws are, in my opinion, more mischievous than 

 the Jay or JNIagpie. I have caught tliem in the act of 

 devouring young Thrushes piecemeal, and eggs of all ground- 

 breeding birds are regular objects of food. I^apwings, when 



