FALSE PRETENCES 



were not provided with some such defensive covering. Two 

 openings which are left in the sides afford the magpie a 

 convenient way of passing in and out, but they are only just 

 as wide as is absolutely necessary for that purpose, so that 

 any large bird, such as the buzzard or carrion crow, would 

 find itself at a disadvantage in attempting to make its way 

 into the nest with hostile intentions (illustration, p. 87). 



It has often been observed that magpies have a habit of 

 building several nests at the same time, though they only 

 finish the one which is destined to contain the eggs. Their 

 object appears to be that of putting their enemies on the 

 wrong scent. 



Mr. Nordmann says : " Four or five pairs of magpies 

 have nested for several years past in the Botanical Gardens 

 at Odessa, where I live. The birds know me very well 

 me and my gun and although they have never been 

 molested, they are up to all sorts of tricks to mislead any 

 one who appears to be watching them. They build in 

 a little wood of old ash trees not far from the houses, 

 between which and the wood there are some acacias and 

 large elms. In these trees the wily birds build sham nests, 

 every pair making at least three or four, and this keeps 

 them busy until March. During the day, especially when 

 they perceive anybody watching them, they are as busy as 

 can be, and if by chance some one comes to disturb them they 

 fly around the trees and make a great deal of noise and fuss; 

 but all that is the merest pretence, for all the while they 

 gradually push on with the construction of the nest in which 

 they intend to lay, working there very quietly and secretly, 

 as it were, at daybreak and at dusk. If some inquisitive 

 person surprises them when so engaged, they immediately 

 fly back, without a sound, to their other nests, and set 

 to work again as though nothing had happened, in the same 



96 



