90 MAGPIE. 



necessarily mean caged pet, for if fed up from the 

 nest, the Magpie, like the Jackdaw, will remain close 

 at hand, roosting in the trees near by, and ready to 

 fly down to his master the moment he appears. We 

 have one with us now which is very friendly with the 

 Jackdaws. He has been taught to speak, and in 

 addition to saying several words, will cough so much 

 like a human being that, with one's eyes shut, it would 

 be impossible to distinguish it from such. 



The Magpie will feed on almost anything ; snails, 

 worms, fruit, acorns, young birds, and pheasants' eggs, 

 or, like the Starling, the vermin from sheep and cattle. 

 His note is a harsh chatter. 



Though very shy and wary, in consequence of the 

 persecution to which he is subjected, the Magpie is 

 fond of the neighbourhood of houses. In several 

 country villages he is looked upon with awe and super- 

 stition, and the number which are seen together at 

 one time is supposed to foretell coming events. As 

 the old rhyme has it : — 



One for sorrow, 



And two for mirth ; 

 Three for a wedding, 



And four for a birth. 



The Magpie is an early breeder, its nest being com- 

 menced at the end of March or the beginning of April. 

 This is generally placed in the topmost branches of 

 trees ; but sometimes it is built in hedges, or even in a 

 gooseberry bush. The outside is formed of sticks ; 

 these are cemented together with mud and clay and 

 lined with rootlets ; the whole is covered with a domed 

 roof of sticks. Most of these sticks are sharp thorny 

 ones, and tightly woven together. The whole is a 

 wonderful piece of architecture, and so well protected 



