226 MAGPIES. 



copse, or tree to tree, a disturbed party of these cunning 

 birds. 



At the same time, certain birds of similar habits will 

 naturally under peculiar circumstances, act very differ- 

 ently ; we have an instance of this, in the singular de- 

 parture of the Magpie from its usual custom of building 

 its nest. Everybody knows that where trees abound, 

 that which is loftiest, or most difficult of access, is chosen; 

 but in parts where there are no trees, instead of retiring 

 to high rocks, and choosing places not easily approached, 

 they will take possession of bushes close to the very doors 

 of houses, particularly in those countries where, instead 

 of being persecuted, they are preserved, from an opinion 

 that it is unlucky to kill them. Accordingly, in Sweden 

 and Norway, travellers are. struck by their surprising 

 numbers and tameness, their nests being built in some 

 low bushy tree close to the cottage-doors, where they 

 are never disturbed. 



The following instance, which fell under the observa- 

 tion of a gentleman when making an excursion in a 

 remote and barren part of the north of Scotland, not 

 only corroborates the statement from Norway and 

 Sweden, but is attended with many other interesting 

 particulars of the sagacity shown by a pair of Magpies. 

 Observing them hopping round a gooseberry-bush, and 

 flying in and out of it in an extraordinary manner, he 

 noticed the circumstance to the owners of the house in 

 which he was, who informed him that as there were no 

 trees in the neighbourhood, they had for several years 

 built their nest, and brought up their young in that bush. 

 And that foxes, cats, hawks, &c., might not interrupt 

 them, they had barricadoed not only the nest, but the 

 bush itself all round, with briers and thorns, in a formid- 

 able manner. The materials in the inside of the nest 

 were soft, warm, and comfortable to the touch, but all 

 round, on the outside, so rough, strong, and firmly 

 entwined with the bush, that, without a hedge-knife, or 

 something of the kind, even a man could not, without 



