AMERICAN MAGPIE 147 



fly down a hill slope with a peculiar dipping, wavering flight, with head 

 held up and long tail thrust up to act as a rudder. In flight the white 

 on the wings is conspicuous, giving rise to the term "side wheelers" as 

 they are sometimes called. Individuals are quite apt to follow one 

 another, separated by several hundred feet, and not in flocks. Even 

 when flushed from food they leave one at a time. Magpies often are 

 seen flying across a broad valley, well up above the ground. 



The black-billed magpie is usually so wary as to give little opportunity 

 to watch any of its activities closely. I have never observed one bathing 

 in the wild, but observations on caged young birds revealed that they 

 take to water readily and make constant use of it in caring for their 

 plumage. When a pan of water was flrst placed in the cage, each of the 

 young birds (which had been taken from a nest and, henc.e, could never 

 have had experience with water) went through almost exactly the be- 

 havior described by Pycraft (1918) for the magpies in Europe. At hrst, 

 just as described for tliose birds, there were some misguided attempts 

 to batlie on the dry floor, but the habit soon became regulated and ad- 

 justed so as to eliminate these wasted movements. Within half an hour 

 after water was placed in the cage for the hrst time, each of the birds 

 had discovered it and had made use of it for drinking and for bathing. 

 In succeeding months bathing was a part of the daily routine of each 

 of the three birds. In fact, they appeared to await their daily supply 

 oi water with as much concern as they watched for a new food supply. 



Man encroaches upon the territon^- of the magpie in nearly every 

 part of die range of the bird. This has been true especially in the range 

 of the black-billed kind in North America since the comparatively recent 

 occupation of the land by the white race. Through much of that area 

 tlie requirements of these two kinds of animals overlap so much that 

 they come to occ.upy common ground. This is especially striking here 

 because in most places the combined habitats of man and magpie involve 

 only a small part of the total area of land. Concentration of these two 

 animals on the same ground results partly from their need for water, 

 but their competition is mainly for food materials that are produced 

 there. 



When man settles in magpie country, he immediately begins to "im- 

 prove" liis surroundings. Ven.' often this also means that the environ- 

 ment is improved for the magpies. The birds usually need, and they 

 are quick to take advantage of, increased food stores that human settle- 

 ment brings. This is not a new trait, for magpies have been reported 

 as normal attendants at Indian camps. Also, it was noted by Baird, 

 Brewer, and Ridgway (1874) that "the partv- of Lewis and Qark, 

 who were the first to add this bird to our fauna, also describe them as 



