296 SINGING BIRDS — OSCINES. 



Their food consists of almost everything animal and vegetable -which they 

 can find or eat, and they come much about farms and gardens to pick up 

 whatever tliey can. Like the magpie of Europe, they probalJy carry off 

 many tilings that can be of no use to them, out of mere curiosity or mischief 



Tliey have a loud call like imit, paif, and a variety of chattering notes, in 

 tone resembling the human voice, which they can be taught to imitate. 

 They are said also to imitate the calls and songs of small birds, as if to at- 

 tract them within their reach, as they kill them, and destroy their eggs on 

 every opportunity. I have never seen magpies along the coast north of 

 Monterey. 



Pica Hudsonica, Sabine. 



THE AMEKICAN MAGPIE. 



Con-nspica, FonSTEK, Pliil. Trans. LXXTI. 382. 



Corciis Hiulaoniciis, S.4KINE, App. Frauklin's Journey, 182.3, 25. — Pirn TTnrlsnnim, Bo.VA- 



rARTE, List, 1838. — Newuerry, P. R. Rep. VI. iv. 84. — Baird, iiinh X. Aiuer. 576. 



— Cooper and Suckeey, P. R. R. XII. ii. 213. 

 Plai mcliinokuca, " Vieillot," Audubon, Bii'ils Amcr. IV. 1842, 99 ; pi. 227. 



Sp. Char. Similar to P. NiillaUi, but with tlic bill and skin round tlu' eve black. 

 Throat li.'athL'rs spoiled with concealed white. Length, 19,00 ; wing, 8 oO ; tail, 11.00. 



Ilah. Northern portions of North America. AMioIe Piocky jNIountain region and 

 North racidc States. 



The magpie is not so familiar a bird to the inhabitants of the more settled 

 parts of the United States as its European congener, although west of the 

 Missouri and in the vicinity of Lake Superior it is well known. The liabits 



