208 MAGPIES. 



naturally, under peculiar circumstances, act very differently ; 

 we have an instance of this, in the singular departure of the 

 Magpie from its usual custom of huilding its nest. Every- 

 body knows that where trees abound, that which is loftiest, 

 or most difficult of access, is chosen ; but in parts where there 

 are no trees, instead of retiring to high rocks, and choosing 

 places not easily approached, they will take possession of 

 bushes close to the very doors of houses, particularly in those 

 countries where, instead of being persecuted, they are pre- 

 served, from an opinion that it is unlucky to kill them. 

 Accordingly, in Sweden and Norway, travellers are struck by 

 their surprising numbers and tameness, their nests being 

 built in some low bushy tree close to the cottage-doors, where 

 they are never disturbed. 



The following instance, which fell under the observation 

 of a gentleman when making an excursion in a remote and 

 barren part of the north of Scotland, not only corroborates 

 the statement from Norway and Sweden, but is attended with 

 many other interesting particulars of the sagacity shown by 

 a pair of Magpies. Observing them hopping round a goose- 

 berry-bush, and flying in and out in an extraordinary manner, 

 he noticed the circumstance to the owners of the house in 

 which he was, who informed him that as there were no trees 

 in the neighbourhood, they had for several years built their 

 nest, and brought up their young in that bush. And that 

 foxes, cats, hawks, &c., might not interrupt them, they had 

 barricadoed not only the nest, but the bush itself all round, 

 with briers and thorns, in a formidable manner. The ma- 

 terials in the inside of the nest were soft, warm, and com- 

 fortable to the touch, but all round, on the outside, so rough, 

 strong, and firmly entwined with the bush, that, without a 

 hedge-knife or something of the kind, even a man could not, 

 without much pain and trouble, get at their young; the 

 barrier from the outer to the inner edge being above a foot 

 in breadth. Frogs, mice, worms, or anything living, were 

 plentifully brought to their young. One day, one of the 

 parent-birds attacked a rat, and not being able to kill it, one 

 of the young ones came out of the nest and assisted in its 



