CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 243 



counter-balance its destructiveness to game eggs. 

 With regard to the boldness of the species he quotes 

 an instance recorded by Lord Lilford of fourteen or 

 fifteen Magpies attacking a sore-backed donkey in 

 severe snowy weather. The note is a harsh chatter 

 kept up incessantly as long as any obnoxious person 

 or animal remains in its haunts ; while the manner 

 in which the bird will hover over and swoop at an ex- 

 hausted fox must be a familiar sight to many sports- 

 men, and conveys to them the intimation that the 

 quarry is sinking." 



I believe this species possesses the power of 

 mimicry and can be taught to speak a few words. 



In regard to habitat abroad, Howard Saunders 

 says : " From the North Cape in Scandinavia south- 

 ward it is found more or less plentifully throughout 

 Europe, eastward the Magpie is found across Asia 

 to India, China, and Japan, and also in the northern 

 portion of America from the Pacific to Michigan." 



The Jay. 



This very handsome species, the wings of which 

 are much valued for makingf artificial flies and for 

 ladies' hats, is not so plentiful as it used to be owing 

 to its numbers being kept down by gamekeepers, 

 for, like the Magpie, it is a very deadly enemy to 

 the preserver of game, being very partial to the eggs. 



Owing to the well-known fact that when Carrion 

 and Hoody Crows, Jays, and Magpies abound on a 

 property, no game need be expected, and also to the 



