THE FARMER AT HOME. 59 



characterizes the disease in man ; and they will frequently drink freely 

 till the last. Among animals, there are two kinds of the disease ; the 

 dumb madness and the excited or raving madness. In the first, the 

 animal is frequently harmless through the whole of the disease ; in 

 the second he is most ferocious, and seems eager to destroy whatever 

 comes in his way. But in all cases, no chance for mischief should be 

 allowed, as the disease at all times seems suddenly to change, and the 

 dog or the bull will inflict the most terrible injuries. Singular as it 

 may seem, the milk, or even the flesh of animals suffering from mad- 

 ness, may be used without the least danger. The poison is no where 

 evolved except in the saliva, and however unpleasant it might be to 

 the imagination to feed on the milk or flesh of a rabid animal, no fatal, 

 or indeed, injurious results, need be apprehended. 



MAG-PIE. This crafty and well known bird is found in both con- 

 tinents, though it is much more limited in its range in America, being 

 confined to the northern and western regions. In its habits and man- 

 ners, it much resembles its brethren the crows ; like them, it indis- 

 criminately feeds on both animal and vegetable food ; it is peculiarly 

 destructive to the eggs and young of the feebler tribes of birds. It is 

 about eighteen inches in length, and weighs from eight to nine ounces. 

 It has a black bill, wings and tail ; but the latter are variegated with 

 white, green, purple, and blue, of different shades. 



The construction of the nests of these birds shows great art, they 

 having a thorny cover, and the entrance being at the side. The 

 female lays from five to seven pale-greenish eggs, closely spotted with 

 black. When taken young, they readily become domesticated, and 

 learn to repeat many words, and even sentences, as well as to imitate 

 every noise within hearing. This faculty appears to have been known 

 to the ancients, as Plutarch relates an account of the performances of 

 one of these birds, belonging to a barber in Rome. 



MAGrNESIA. A species of earth, of great benefit in correcting 

 acidity of the stomach. It is of the class of what are called alkaline 

 earths ; and having an affinity for acids, it attracts to itself whatever 

 acid it finds in the stomach, and forming with it a purgative salt, it 

 produces several easy motions of the bowels, and so removes the 

 acidity, heartburn, and other unpleasant symptoms Magnesia may 

 be taken to the extent of a tea-spoonful twice or thrice a day, accord- 

 ing to the urgency of the symptoms ; and it may be mixed with water, 

 or peppermint water, or any similar fluid, to diminish its insipidity. 

 Magnesia may be safely and usefully given to children, even when 

 very young, mixed with thin gruel. The best magnesia is what is 

 called burnt or calcined magnesia. Magnesia is either found in 

 nature, combined with the carbonic acid, or it is obtained in that com- 

 bination in the process of preparing it from Epsom salts, which are 

 magnesia combined with sulphuric acid. This carbonate of magnesia 

 answers the purpose of correcting acidity, and is cheaper, Kit in some 



