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Of the magpie and its AFFINITIES. 



THE Magpie is the chief of this kind with us, and is well known. 

 Its black, white, green and purple, the rich and gilded combi- 

 nation of glofles on its tail, equal any that adorn the nnolt beautiful of 

 the feathered tribe ; but it is vain, reftlefs, loud, quarreifome, intru- 

 five, and mifchievous. 



The magpie refembles the butcher-bird in its bill, which has a fharp 

 procefs near the end of the upper chap, in fhortnefs of wing, and form 

 of tail, each feather fliortening from the two middlemoft; ftill more in 

 its food, living not only on worms and infeccs, but on fmall birds when 

 they can be feized ; a wounded lark, a young chicken feparated from 

 the hen, and fometimes a black-bird : has been feen to attempt a crab, 

 whofe pincers were however too fharp for it. Is capable of being 

 trained for the chace, eafily becomes familiar, and even imperative ; has 

 been known to pafs days and nights among a troop of cats^ and to make 

 its part good. Is capable of being taught to fpeak, and takes pleafure 

 in it; ftudies its words, rejoices after the acquifition of new ones, and 

 is vexed when they are too difEcult. Often perches on the back of an ox 

 or a fheep, pecking up infeds, chattering, and ftrctching out its 

 neck for combat ; fecks out alfo the nefts of birds. Nothing feems 

 amifs ; it (hares with ravens in their carrion, with rooks in their grain, 

 "with the cuckoo in eggs j and when it is fatisfied for the preient, lays up 

 the remainder. Even when tame will hide its food when filled, and after a 

 time return to its hoard with renewed appetite and vociferation. 



Its nefl is not lefs remarkable for artful conftruction, than for fecurity 

 of fituation. The place is always difficult of accefs. The body of the 

 r.eft is compofed of hawthorn branches ; the thorns (licking outward, but 

 well united^ by mutual infertions. It is lined with fibrous roots, wool, 

 and long grafs, and nicely plaiftered with mud and clay. A canopy de- 

 fends it above, compofed of the (harped thorns wove together, and de- 

 nying all entrance except at the door, which is juft large enough to per- 

 mit egrefs and regrefs to the owners. The magpie lays fix or feven eggs, 

 of a pale green colour, fpotted with brown. Watc'it s its neft very 

 clofely, and defends it valiantly. If it obferves a man has handled its 

 eggs, tranfports them elfehwere in its claws for fafety. The young are 

 blind, and barely perfe(5l ; the mother maintains them with much ten- 

 dcrnefs. Lives twenty years. 



H 2 The . 



