260 



erects its castle. This is composed of an outwork of thorns 

 and briers supporting a mass of twigs and mud, which is 

 succeeded by a layer of fibrous roots. The whole is not 

 only fenced round but arched over with thorny sticks, an 

 aperture being left, on one side only, large enough to admit 

 the bird. In this stronghold are deposited generally six 

 eggs, which in due time are succeeded by as many young 

 ogres, who are to be reared to birds by an unstinted supply 



THE MAGPIE 



of the most generous diet Even before their appearance 

 the old birds have committed no small havoc in the neigh- 

 bourhood ; now, however, that four times as many mouths 

 have to be filled, the hunting ground must either be more 

 closely searched or greatly extended. Any one who has 

 had an opportunity of watching the habits of a tame 

 Magpie, must have observed its extreme inquisitiveness 

 and skill in discovering what was intended to be concealed, 



