Some localities are specially favoured in this respect, and numbers of nests 

 may be seen in a short walk, while in other districts there may be only one 

 solitary pair. Sometimes the bird chooses a solitary tree standing in a hedge- 

 row in which to build its bulky nest, but it is most commonly placed in 

 some small plantation. Almost every kind of tree is used as a nesting-site, 

 and the bird often builds in some thick tangled hawthorn only a few feet 

 from the ground, but so well protected by the sharp thorns that it is well- 

 nigh impregnable. The Magpie often returns year after year to the same 

 nesting-site, patching up the old nest and re-lining it with rootlets ; such nests 

 are usually enormous structures, and the basket-like dome which covers them 

 is enlarged till it covers nearly the whole top of the tree. 



The Magpie is a fairly early breeder, and commences the work of nest- 

 building during the end of March or the beginning of April. The nest is 

 usually placed among the thin branches at the top of the tree, and is built of 

 sticks cemented together with mud and clay and lined with a fine soft bed of 

 rootlets ; in a few instances dry grass is used as a lining. The principal 

 peculiarity of the Magpie's nest is the large dome of thorny sticks which 

 entirely covers the nest, only a small hole being left, just above the lip of the 

 cup which contains the eggs, for the old bird to get in and out by. The nest 

 cavity is very deep for its breadth, and the lining is so smoothly finished that 

 the inside is as round as a basin. When the nest is approached, the Magpie 

 will slip quietly away if the eggs be fresh ; but if she is sitting, it often requires 

 much shouting and repeated blows on the trunk of the tree to dislodge her. 

 When the young are hatched both birds fly round and round the tree at 

 some height in the air on the approach of an intruder, uttering their chattering 

 cry. 



From six to eight eggs are laid, larger clutches being occasionally found ; 

 they are very small for the size of the bird, and vary considerably in this 

 respect even in the same clutch. The ground-colour varies from bluish green 

 to greenish buff, sometimes very nearly white. The surface-markings are 

 small and of a greenish brown colour, occasionally deep brown ; underlying 

 spots are greyish purple. On some specimens the markings are evenly dis- 

 tributed over the entire surface ; on others many of them are confluent, forming 

 a patch of colour on the end of the egg; while on a third variety they are 

 collected in a distinct zone round the large end of the egg. They vary in 

 length from 1*45 to i'2O inch, and in breadth from i - o to '87 inch. 



Only one brood is reared in the year, but if the first clutch be destroyed 

 a second nest is made. 



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