DOUBTFUL CHARACTERS 119 



magpie is far worse under the same wretched 

 conditions. I have known a ragged black-and- 

 white feathered reprobate of a magpie talk to 

 those who looked with pity on him, not only 

 loudly, but in very strong terms indeed. 



You will find members of the jay family- 

 whole rows of them nailed up on the gable of 

 the keeper's tool-house or the dog kennel ; and 

 if you are passing by and stop to look, should 

 any one be about, you will be told that all that 

 lot are jays just as if you had never seen one 

 in your life before. 



Traps, poisoned eggs, rabbits, and the gun 

 are all used for the bird's destruction, yet, in 

 spite of all, he thrives and increases. The chief 

 cause of this is the bird's astuteness call it craft 

 if you will ; from the feather tips of his crest to 

 the end of his fine dark tail, he is full of the 

 instinct called self-preservation. 



Now, many creatures are supposed to be 

 killed right off and away : at least it is com- 

 monly supposed that such is the case. No- 

 thing of the kind. Those who know more 

 about their business than some would-be clever 

 people, know and remember that "a man is 

 not forced to hit a creature that he is ordered 

 to shoot, unless he pleases." The art of miss- 



