84 Littler, Notes on Some Birds Peculiar to Tasmania. [_, s t Oct. 



sprouting grain for their favourite food of grass-grubs and wire- 

 worms. A most lamentable number of Magpies are destroyed 

 every year through the careless and indiscriminate laying of 

 poison for rabbits and Sparrows. There are a certain number 

 of agriculturists who cannot, or will not, see any good in birds, 

 and consider that even the total annihilation of their feathered 

 friends would have no effect on the many " pests " with which 

 they are plagued. Not so long ago, a large landowner, who 

 does not poison, picked up no less than 200 dead Magpies, besides 

 other birds, that had been poisoned by his neighbours. If 

 farmers would only recognize the fact, they have in the Magpie 

 one of their very best friends. The food is almost entirely 

 insectivorous ; in the winter seeds and any stray grains are 

 added to the menu. Grass-grubs form the favourite diet. About 

 sunrise is the chief feeding time. It is very entertaining to watch 

 a Magpie hunt for grubs ; it goes about the work in such a 

 business-like manner. Watch one at work. Presently it stops 

 short and puts its head on one side, as if saying, " Now I have 

 got you." An instant later the beak is darted rapidly down, 

 and a grub pulled out. The heads of the grubs are only visible 

 just below the surface of the ground, but quite enough for the 

 sharp-eyed Magpie. When not engaged in seeking food most of 

 the time is passed among the branches of lofty trees. These 

 Magpies move in flocks of, say, six to a dozen individuals, although 

 occasionally larger companies may be seen. The largest one I 

 have seen recently round Launceston consisted of 47 birds. 

 Round Conara (the native name of the Magpie) and other midland 

 districts even larger flocks may be seen. This bird is of a some- 

 what pugnacious disposition, always quite willing to cross swords 

 with one of its own species or any other bird ; or, if tame, it 

 does not scruple to try conclusions with a cat or dog. Hawks 

 are its pet aversion, not an opportunity being lost to harass 

 every one that comes near. On one occasion a Hawk was too 

 clever for its tormentors. One day some half-dozen Magpies 

 were chasing one away from a tree which contained a nest and 

 young birds. Suddenly the Hawk doubled, and darting straight 

 for the tree, plucked a young bird from out of the nest and sailed 

 triumphantly away. Near a certain farm stands a giant gum 

 in which a pair of Magpies nest year after year. When there 

 are young in the nest, the old birds are very savage, darting down 

 with angry cries on everyone passing under the tree. A Magpie 

 makes an entertaining pet, though after a time it becomes very 

 mischievous, and delights in pulling up freshly-set young plants. 

 I have known one, after watching, say, turnips or onions being 

 thinned out, to go on with the thinning until not a plant remained. 

 Another bird used to watch the operation of setting young plants 

 very intently, and as soon as one's back was turned commence 

 pulling them all up. As a counterpoise against these bad traits 

 there is the good one of being a very useful destroyer of insects 

 of all kinds. This bird is one of our best songsters, its voice beiny 



