THE MAGPIE 
off very quietly, but when the young are hatched the old 
Magpies are often very demonstrative. ‘The brood and 
their parents remain in company for some time. ‘The 
eggs are laid in March and April. 
The adult Magpie has the head, neck, back, and breast 
black shot with green and copper; the lower back and 
rump are greyish white ; the wings are black shot with 
green, each quill marked with white on the inner web, 
and the scapulars are entirely white, as are the shoulders ; 
the under parts below the breast are white ; the tail- 
coverts and the long, graduated, fan-like tail are black, 
the latter on the upper surface richly loricated with 
metallic bronze, green, and purple. Bill black; tarsi 
and toes black; irides brown. Length 16 inches. ‘The 
nestling resembles its parents, but the colours are not 
quite so brilliant nor the plumage so loricated. 
