178 BULLETIN 191, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Usually only two to four birds were calling at once. Two came down 

 to drink at a water trough, but none had gone to the ground. The 

 calling slowed down so that intervals of 10 to 15 seconds elapsed with- 

 out a sound. By 6 :30 the interchange from tree to tree had ceased. 



In another 15 minutes small groups of two or three birds began to 

 move off toward the north and the number of calls was still further 

 reduced, so that as many as 45 seconds sometimes passed with no sound. 

 Soon all the magpies had left the area where they had first settled. 



Water troughs on the Hastings Reservation, originally set up for 

 cattle, provided water for birds, but their shape proved to be a slight 

 handicap in use. Magpies regularly bathe at these troughs by standing 

 on the rim, tipping forward, and flapping their wings. They then fly 

 to nearby trees to dry their plumage. A different procedure was noted 

 on a cloudy, windy afternoon in January when a magpie drank twice 

 from one of these troughs. The bird then jumped about 6 inches into 

 the air and, with beating wings, gradually lowered itself until belly and 

 feet touched the water. With the tail held up so as not to touch the 

 water, it kept this position for about 15 seconds and then flew to the 

 top of a nearby post to rest. After repeating this three times at one- 

 minute intervals, the magpie flew to a locust tree where it ruffled and 

 shook its plumage, picked at one or two breast feathers, and flew back 

 to the trough. It perched beside another drinking magpie for two 

 minutes and then took two more dips. The other magpie then drove 

 this one off to a fence post where it dried its plumage and the two 

 flew off to forage. 



In many parts of California, for example in the Sacramento Valley, 

 the planting of trees and the extension of cultivation have apparently 

 favored the local spread of magpies. Study of present-day conditions 

 in that region indicates that extension of human occupation of this 

 land has, also, over a long period of years, resulted in increased numbers 

 of this bird there. At an earlier time, from 1850 to 1890, there was 

 a period of persistent destruction of magpies in California, which re- 

 sulted in greater wariness of the birds and led to a disappearance of 

 the species from some localities on the edge of its range. Besides the 

 direct killing by shooting, magpies in this area, according to the testi- 

 mony of numerous observers, have been killed by placing poisoned bait 

 to prevent their taking of cultivated crops, by poisoned baits placed for 

 coyotes, and by poison used in rodent-control campaigns. Despite the 

 rather widespread notion, however, that the yellow-billed magpie is rare 

 and that it is on the verge of extinction, there seems to be at present 

 no reason for immediate concern over its welfare as a species. Extermi- 

 nation might conceivably be possible, but it would be so expensive and 

 difficult that it would not occur under ordinary circumstances. 



