72 



qualities in some of the acts, to which I have referred 

 above, as mischievous. They cannot be ascribed 

 wholly or even chiefly to " malice prepense" they are 

 not sufficiently purposive, there does not appear to be 

 any intention, and probably no power, to inflict any 

 definite injury, there is no effort to go beyond tem- 

 porary annoyance and evidence of this seems to be 

 sufficient reward for the perpetrator of the joke. 



We are most of us familiar with the sight of Rooks, 

 and even small birds, mobbing a Hawk. It may be 

 said that this is more than a game, that it is a com- 

 bination with the object of driving away a common 

 enemy ; this may be so, though I do not think that is 

 always the true explanation, and I can recall an in- 

 stance where it certainly was not so. It occurred in 

 Sweden, and in the district where I was staying there 

 was a very strong prejudice against killing Magpies 

 as it was believed to cause ill luck. The consequence 

 was that Magpies were very numerous, and a large 

 number — thirty or more— were constantly about close 

 to the house. Hawks were fairh'^ numerous also, and 

 when one appeared near the house, the Magpies would 

 often engage in a regular game. They would flj' 

 round him and in fact chase him with the evident 

 intention of provoking him to strike at them, which 

 he was often in no mood to do, but at last after much 

 provocation would turn on them ; they were on the 

 alert, keenly watching for this, and the moment he 

 turned they made as fast as possible for a crack under 

 a barn door which was just large enough to admit 

 them but not the Hawk, which however often pursued 

 them to the very door. Having failed, the Hawk 

 would fly away and as soon as he had gone the Magpie 



