Winged Vermin Taking Magpies. 485 



are particularly disposed to forage and, as it is termed, 

 "fish about." They will get on the small trees and hop in 

 and about them, run under them, and work and search 

 about on the paths and drives at irregular and alternate 

 intervals, bent on mischief, we may rest assured, in all 

 probability searching for eggs pheasants' eggs, if there be 

 such game on the place searching notwithstanding any 

 inappropriateness of season, and unconcerned whether it 

 be spring or autumn. Here, again, the coney becomes 

 useful, and one arranged in the same manner as described 

 above for the magpie will, in newly-planted coverts of 

 larch, spruce, or oak, be found of equal efficacy. Also 

 under such circumstances are eggs very tempting, and a 

 neatly-placed and formed nest of four or five shells, put 

 for preference at one side of a little open patch amongst 

 the trees, should not fail to entice the feathered marauders 

 into neatly-set gins placed in front of the artificially- 

 formed nest. 



When one is trapping for rabbits, especially adjacent to 

 covert, the operation will invariably be closely watched by 

 one or more of the pied gentry, especially during the 

 earlier portion of the day, say, in summer, at about ten to 

 eleven o'clock, when the magpies are in peculiarly active 

 contemplation of anything which may engage their attention. 

 Thus, if one should leave a rabbit dead in a trap when 

 removing the catch of the morning, by the time mentioned, 

 some half-dozen or more of the birds are sure to have 

 discovered it, and, as a matter of course, made closer 

 acquaintance with its gastronomical qualities. If one should 

 now make it his business to disturb them at their meal, in 



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