310 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



shell, but in an indirect manner. The parent bird 

 has absented herself for a brief tune to recruit 

 herself by food and exercise, when she is unfor- 

 tunately descried by the gunner. In a moment 

 she is struck with death, and drops bleeding and 

 fluttering to the earth herself; perishing indeed, 

 but not alone. The nest may be found hard by, 

 and none of the pretty objects it contains will 

 now give birth to the offspring of this murdered 

 mother. Sometimes, too, an unfortunate chance 

 reveals the nest with its treasure to the eye of the 

 wandering schoolboy, and then woe to its con- 

 tents, and misery to the wretched parent on her 

 return to her ruined homestead. 



But the eggs are threatened with other dangers 

 than these, arising from their being preyed on by 

 rapacious animals, or by birds. The magpie has a 

 bad name among country people for this vice. 

 Mr. Knapp says they will occasionally plunder 

 the nests of other birds ; and we find in early 

 spring the eggs of our out-laying domestic fowls 

 frequently dropped about, and robbed of their con- 

 tents. That the magpie is a party concerned in 

 these thefts we cannot deny; but to the superior au- 

 dacity of the crow we attribute our principal injury. 



