1 92 1.] Birds of Macedonia. 195 



Pica pica. Magpie. 



A very coninion bird and rarely out of one's sight, being- 

 found pretty well everywhere. In Macedonia it certainly 

 does not show any preference for the wooded districts. 

 Magpies were numerous at most of the places, visited, and 

 only occasionally scarce or absent, as at Baisili, in August. 

 The large numbers that frequent the plain in winter, often 

 feeding in the company of Jackdaws and Rooks, do not stop 

 to breed in their winter quarters, although quite a number 

 do nest in the country. There was a decline in numbers 

 during the summer months, and an influx in the autumn. 

 During cold weather in Decemlier there were chattering flocks 

 of Mag[)ies in nearly every leafless tree near the river. On 

 the hills in the autumn, flocks of from twelve to twenty birds ■ 

 could be seen leading the life of true Crows, foraging for food 

 on the stony ground. A good many kept in pairs throughout 

 the winter. Nests were fairly common but often well hidden, 

 some in trees, others in tall dense bushes. Several pairs 

 bred in the neighbourhood of Ormanli ; none actually in the 

 village. Young birds were seen in the nest during the first 

 week in May. Broods flying 19 May. The peculiar hal»it that 

 the Magpie has of jei'king- its tail upwards when alighting- 

 served the species in good stead on the muddy Struma 

 levels. I feel sure that the movement is accentuated when 

 the bird alights on wet or dirty ground, and possibly there 

 is a clue to the origin of the habit to be found here. The 

 Magpies in Macedonia were fond of roosting in old nests, and 

 a stone flung into an old Stork's nest in the evening would 

 often cause as many as eight birds to leave in single file. A 

 partiality for selected roosting-places was a noticeable habit, 

 and a regular flight to these places, often groups of trees of 

 a o-ood heiuht. in the evenino- reminded one of the Rooks' 

 evening flights. The Magpies would settle down to rest 

 with many chuckles, but once settled they sat close. I 

 witnessed a good demonstration of this habit on 16 June 

 at Kopriva. At sunset a large number of Magpies passed 

 over the village from the direction of the hills. They 

 went towards a clum[) of trees half-way across the plain, and 



