THE USEFUL BIRDS 



youngsters stood the ill-treatment till the duty of nest-building 

 compelled the dame to leave them in possession. After the 

 young of the new brood are hatched out it is amusing to see 

 the dejected attitude of the oldest daughter (unmarried) when 

 the mother happens to approach it in quest of food for the 

 new brood. In May or June following it disappears, and 

 probably begins housekeeping on its own account. Just at 

 this time a new patch of forest has been opened up, and, if 

 only a few acres, a pair of Magpies will find their way into it. 

 But all is not complete yet, as someone has shot the male 

 because it thrashed his domestic fowls. The female cleared 

 out at once, and returned in a few days with four males, the 

 strongest and best fighter eventually becoming her mate." 



It is interesting to direct a field- glass on a parent bird with 

 a nest of young. You can see her fill her mouth with insects 

 almost to overflowing, then fly into the nest and equally 

 distribute the collection to the ever-hungry youngsters. 



My friend, Mr. W. J. Stephen, has a female bird, taken from 

 a nest four years ago, which is a splendid talker. In the 

 spring of 1897 an inclination to sit was observed. The follow- 

 ing year (August), as with wild birds, it showed a similar 

 desire, and some assistance was given as soon as it showed 

 itself in earnest. My friend was good enough to keep a rough 

 diary for me during nest-building, which shows how the bird, 

 in spite of being turned out of its chosen spot several times, 

 persisted in building a nest, using for preference pieces of wire, 

 stiff twigs, and also some strips of stiff white calico, but, 

 strangely enough, rejecting pink flannelette. 



I know of a semi-domesticated pair of birds that have lived 

 and reared their young in a garden at Box Hill for five con- 

 secutive years. They added to and renovated their first nest 

 up to the third year, and built a new one for the fourth year. 

 That they were the same pair of birds I am convinced, for the 

 male bird had, by some mischance, received a hurt which 



