Northern Observations of Inland Birds 273 



bright and spritely bird, which cannot fail to attract 

 the eye, and so, as the two dally, they are presently over- 

 taken by the other two previously in the rear, one of 

 which also alights in the corn field, while the other 

 settles on the topmost Hmb of a pine, there to poHsh his 

 beak and chatter loudly. 



So, by very easy stages, they make their way to some 

 appointed place, and so thoroughly do they explore the 

 country over which they pass that very little escapes 

 them. When a whole family is assembled, feeding about 

 a sheep trough, for example, in the bright morning 

 light, and in the middle of a ten acre field, they present 

 a very pretty picture. 



Magpies destroy a large number of mice, probably as 

 many per bird as tawny owls do. As a rule the mouse 

 is gulped whole, for Jock possesses a very accommodating 

 gullet, but in more fastidious mood the magpie skins 

 its mouse meal, as is often to be noticed by the remains 

 they leave. No doubt they kill rats too, as tame magpies 

 have often been known to do so, though as a rule only 

 part of the head of the rat is devoured. 



These birds are very fond of scavenging lake margins 

 for dead fish, and often take up their abode by water. 

 I remember once, fishing from the shore of Teaton 

 reservoir in Northamptonshire, I hooked and landed 

 a fine rainbow trout. Not wishing to carry the fish, 

 since I had no basket, I hid it in some high grass under 

 a willow bush a little distance from the water's edge. 

 I could not have been away more than twenty minutes, 

 but on my return I found the fish disembowelled and 

 partly eaten by a magpie. Either the bird had scented 

 the fish or had watched me hide it — I believe the latter 

 — for it was most effectively obscured from view. One 

 needs to be very astute, however, in order to hide anything 

 from a magpie. 



