THE MAGPIE. 



Food Superiority ot Instinct. 



must often have observed a magpie perched 

 upon the back of an ox or a sheep, pecking out 

 the insects which might have taken refuge in 

 their hides, chattering and tormenting the poor 

 animal at the same time, and stretching out its 

 neck for combat, if the beast turned its head 

 backward to interrupt its employment. They 

 seek out also the nests of small birds; and if the 

 old ones escape, the eggs make up for the defi- 

 ciency; the thrush and the blackbird are thus 

 frequently robbed by this depredator ; a circum- 

 stance which may probably account for those 

 tribes not being more numerous. 



The magpie is by no means particular in its 

 food ; it shares with ravens in their carrion, with 

 rooks in their grain, and with the cuckoo in 

 bird's eggs; but it seems possessed of a prudence 

 seldom usual with gluttons, for when satisfied it 

 lays up the remainder of the feast for another 

 occasion. Even in a domesticated s^tate it will 

 hide its food when done eating, and after a time 

 return to the secret hoard with renewed appetite 

 and vociferation. 



From every action the magpie demonstrates 

 that it possesses a degree of instinct superior to 

 other birds. Its nest is not less remarkable for 

 the manner in which it is composed, than for the 

 place chosen to build in. It is usually placed in 

 a very conspicuous situation, either in the middle 

 of some hawthorn-bush, or on the top of some 

 high tree. But careless as this may appear on 



