386 The Magpie. [Sess. 



the misfortune. The same superstition pervades the countries 

 of Norway and Sweden, where magpies are allowed to harbour 

 and breed without restraint, it being quite common 'to see 

 their nests on the roofs of the wooden houses of the peasantry, 

 secured between the primitive rhones and the eaves. 



Considering their size, magpies make a very large nest, 

 which they cover over with a dome of sticks, consisting chiefly 

 of thorn, with a hole at the side for ingress and egress. From 

 the large size of the nest, which is generally at the top of one 

 of the highest trees, it is easily seen at a distance, and conse- 

 quently attracts the attention of schoolboys and egg-collectors. 

 The eggs, generally seven or eight in number, are a bluish 

 colour, mottled with greenish-brown. Most of the early nests 

 are thus robbed, but when the foliage of the trees is thickest 

 they make another nest, which frequently escapes the notice 

 of their enemies. Few British birds possess such a rich glow 

 of colour, the brilliancy of the plumage on the tail and wings 

 being of metallic splendour, while the body is a marked con- 

 trast of black and white. Magpies in the pairing season are 

 very pugnacious, and determined combats occasionally take 

 place, lasting for a considerable time. Last year I was witness 

 to such an encounter among the large beech-trees in front of 

 Kingston Grange House. My attention was attracted by an 

 excited chattering among a number of the birds in question, 

 high in the air. On looking up I observed two of them 

 attacking each other, while the remainder kept a considerable 

 distance off. Descending among the trees the fight continued, 

 and eventually the combatants came to the ground hanging 

 on to each other like game-cocks, regardless of my presence 

 within twenty-five yards' distance. A noisy chattering was 

 kept up among the branches by the other magpies, who were 

 evidently watching the duel under great excitement. Not- 

 withstanding that the fight continued over a quarter of an 

 hour, neither could be said to have gained any advantage over 

 the other. Both, however, seemed utterly exhausted as they 

 lay on their sides, with their beaks wide open. After getting 

 their breath they evidently had no desire to renew the combat, 

 but flew up and joined their noisy companions overhead. 



During the present nesting season I knew of a couple of 

 magpies' nests in places safe from the invasion of boys, and on 



