19 



make use of briar stems and hay (Ussher). In at least two instances which 

 have come under my notice the parent birds have been dispossessed after 

 the completion of their nest, in one case by a pair of Squin'els, and in 

 the other by Long eared Owls. In warm springs the work of building is 

 often commenced in February or early March, and the construction is 

 entirely the work of the hen, the cock providing material. 



The usual number is 6 — 7, but occasionally sets of 5 are found in- Egg-s. 

 cubated, while clutches of 8 are not uncommon and 9 eggs are occasionally 

 met with.* As a rule they do not show any great variation in colour. 

 The ground colour varies from pale blue with a greenish tinge to greenish 

 yellow and buff, generally finely spotted with olive brown, especially towards 

 the blunt end, and showing underlying spots of pale inky violet. Some 

 eggs show a very distinct cap or zone of brown spots, while others have been 

 found quite devoid of markings and almost white or light bluish green in 

 ground colour. Kricheldorff {Zeitschr. f. Ool. 1903, p. 10) describes ery- 

 thristic varieties of the eggs both of this race and of P. p. mauritanica Malh. 



In England eggs are generally laid from mid April to early May, Breeding 

 April 24 — May 1 being the best time in the midlands. In Ireland most Season, 

 birds breed in April, while in Germany eggs may be found from the second 

 week in April, but most eggs are laid late in April or early in May, and 

 from the latter date to June in N. Russia. Kriiper took full clutches in 

 Acarnania on April 18, and Flihrer in Montenegro from April 16 to May 8. 

 The period of incubation is 18 days and the hens sit as soon as laying 

 has begun. 



100 normal eggs average 32.9X23 mm., Max. 37X25 mm., Min. Measure- 

 28 X 22,5 mm. (Rey). R. H. Read has a clutch of very large eggs, almost ments. 

 without markings: Max. 39.4X27.6 and 37.5X28 mm. (Somerset). An 

 abnormal egg in Tring Museum measures 44.9 x 26.5 mm. (Hartert). Average 

 weight 565 mg. A dwarf egg measures 23.9 X 18.7 mm. and weighs 

 250 mg. (Rey); another from N. Brabant is 22.4 x 16.2 mm. Average weight 

 of 13 unblown eggs 10.517 g. (Foster). 



As is frequently the case in species of wide distribution, eggs from 

 the northern limit of the breeding range are distinctly larger than those 

 from the middle and south. Thus 10 eggs from W. Bothnia (coU. Newton) 

 average 40 X 24.25 mm. 



Geographical Races. 



a. European Magpie, P. pica pica (L.}. See above > 

 b. Spanish Magpie, P. pica melanotos Brehni. 



Local Names: Portugal: Pega. Spain: Urrdca, Marica. 

 P. p. melanotos Brehm. Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 21. 



* Hager {II. Omith. Jahresber. f. -S., p. 80) mentions an instance where 

 10 were laid. 



