26 



THE AMKRICAN MAGI%v 



tliru tlic 

 lessncss 

 ;il»|)n>|>ri 

 its iicst. 



s;inc-l)riisli. |)«)king, prying. si>yin},'. and dcvourin},'. witli tlie riilli- 

 :ind precision of a iHfstilencc. Xnt only eggs Init young birds are 

 :ited. I once saw a Magpie seize a half-grown Meadowlark from 

 i^<'irry ii ' .md parcel it out among its clamoring 



brood. Then, in sjiite of the best 



defense the agonized ])arents could 



institute, il calm- 



\- returned and 



elected another. 



Sticks and 



stones 



shierl by 



the bird- 



man merely deferre<l the d(H)m f)f the remaining larks. The Magjiie was 

 not likely to forget the wherealjouts of such easy meat. 



Ni>r is such a conn(»isseur of eggs likely to overlook the opportunities 

 afforded l)y a poultry yard. lie l>ecomcs an adc])t at purloining epRS. and 

 can make ofT with his Ixioty with astonishing case. One early morning, 

 seeing a Mag])ie fly over the corral with something large and white in his 

 bill, and l)elieving that he had alighted not far Ixryond. I followed quickly 

 and frightened him from a large hen's egg. which bore externally the marks 



