230 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



records are but few in number. Some white young ones 

 were observed in Eskdale before 1817 (Young's " Whitby," 

 1817) ; one with pale grey on those parts which are usually 

 black is mentioned by S. L. Mosley {Zool. 1885, p. 437) ; 

 another curious variety occurred near West Burton in Wensley- 

 dale, in 1885, which had feathers of a faint rusty brown colour 

 instead of black ; and an albino was captured at Kirbymoorside 

 on 4th June 1904 (o/>. cit. 1904, p. 313). 



Few birds are so intimately associated with folk-lore 

 as the present species, which figures as one of the quarterings 

 of " t' Yorksherman's coit of arms." These are — 



"A flea, a fly, 



A flitch of bacon, 



And a chattering magpie " ; 



and to each quartering is attached a distich, the allusion to 

 our subject running : — 



" A Nanpie '11 chatter 

 Wi' owt er wi' newt," 



or, according to another version : — 



" A Magpie can talk for a terrible span. 

 An' so an' all can a Yorksherman." 



The following examples of familiar chants by village 

 children are suggestive of the bird's chattering propensities : — 



" Tell-pie-tit 



Laid an egg an' couldn't sit." 



or, 



" Tell-pie-tit, thy tongue shall be split, 

 An' every dog i' t' town shall get a bit." 



Prognostications of misfortune attributed to the Magpie 

 are indicated by some quaint couplets formerly heard in 

 the Cleveland dales : — 



" S'u'd ya hear a Cuckoo, then a Nanpie see, 

 Neea luck that day '11 come ti' thee." 

 and 



" S'u'd a Dove thrice call, then thoo a Nanpie see, 

 Thoo mun watch thi' love wi' a jillous e'e." 



The accomplished Yorkshire naturalist, Charles Waterton, 

 wrote anent the superstitions connected with this bird : " The 



