482 Practical Game Preserving. 



open portion of a distant covert, and that not once but 

 often. 



Various birds, especially game birds, are capital baits 

 for magpies. It is not necessary that any be killed for 

 the purpose. Such may be employed as one may find 

 lying dead about the covert or field which may have died 

 naturally by vermin. Where pheasants are reared in any 

 quantities there will occasionally be some of this descrip- 

 tion, and which may be advantageously employed as a 

 lure. Young chickens and ducklings too weak to sustain 

 existence may be employed in association with a set gin 

 or two, and pullets which chance to die are also very 

 good bait. 



Mice of all kinds, young and not too large rats, a 

 mole or a hedgehog, are often very successful, especially 

 the first named, and we have often found a few gins with 

 mice tied on the plates singularly attractive when gingerly 

 set and covered in pastures where magpies are wont to 

 congregate. Another and rather unwieldly bait under the 

 circumstances is a sheep's head, or even a portion of a 

 sheepskin, or a young dead lamb. In either case, if 

 exposed in a field, any magpies passing are sure to pay 

 one of the three a visit. 



When baits are employed, the best place to take magpies 

 are certainly in fields and open parts adjacent, or in the 

 near neighbourhood of coverts and plantations. We think 

 this bird hardly cares to search for its food within cover, 

 but rather prefers to pick it up in the open, although 

 sufficiently near shelter to retire quickly to it in case of 

 need. A good description of trap is the gin of a proper 



