MAGPIE-HOARDS. 215 



feelings to each other, and of compassion for all 

 the created objects we see around us. 



In Kent, and other parts of England, the sight' 

 of a single magpie is considered a bad omen. 

 When this is the case, it is generally a token of 

 cold and boisterous weather, at which time, only 

 one bird makes its appearance. The magpie is 

 not only fond of hiding things, but selects parti- 

 cular localities for that purpose. Two magpies, 

 kept in a very extensive kitchen garden, always 

 hid food they could not eat, and also concealed 

 bones, bits of bread, and even grains of wheat, 

 which they searched for and found amongst the 

 stable manure. One day some men were sent to 

 dig up that part of the garden, which had been 

 the favourite hiding place of the birds. The work 

 had scarcely commenced, when the magpies shewed 

 that they were perfectly aware of what was going 

 forward ; and also afforded a proof of the reten- 

 tiveness of their memory, which was not a little 

 extraordinary. They hastened to the spot, and 

 with their beaks cleared the earth which concealed 

 their hidden treasures, which they conveyed to 

 some distance, returning for the rest. In this 

 way seven or eight bones and pieces of bread 

 were disinterred, although some of them had been 

 buried three or four weeks ; thus shewing that 

 they perfectly recollected peculiar spots. 



