CORVIDZ. 237 
But in spite of all this I am afraid it must be 
admitted that the Magpie does commit considerable 
depredations upon young animals, birds and their 
eggs. Montagu has very little to say in its defence: 
he says, “No animal food comes amiss to its car- 
nivorous appetite ; young poultry, eggs, young lambs 
and even weakly sheep it will attempt to destroy by 
first plucking out their eyes; the young of hares, 
rabbits and feathered game share the same fate; fish, 
carrion, insects and fruit, and lastly grain when 
nothing else can be got.” There is no great wonder 
that a bird against which so much can be said, and that 
with considerable truth, should suffer a great deal of 
persecution, and, as far as the gun goes, perhaps 
much mischief is not done; but to call in the aid of 
poison, either by poiscning wheat or any other 
substance, for the destruction of even the most 
mischievously disposed bird, does appear to be a 
very dangerous and pernicious custom, and liable to 
lead to much more destruction than was ever 
intended or contemplated. In this county, at all 
events in this part of it, I am glad to say this prac- 
tice has never been much in use. 
The Magpie is rather an early nester: the nest is 
usually placed in a high tree, but this rule is not in- 
variable, as a low bush, an apple tree in an orchard, 
or even a hedge-row, is occasionally chosen. The 
nest 1s made of sticks, strongly woven together and 
plastered inside with clay. There is an instance on 
