THE MAGPIE 



off very quietly, but when the young are hatched the old 

 Magpies are often very demonstrative. The brood and 

 their parents remain in company for some time. The 

 eggs are laid in March and April. 



The adult Magpie has the head, neck, back, and breast 

 black shot with green and copper ; the lower back and 

 rump are greyish white ; the wings are black shot with 

 green, each quill marked with white on the inner web, 

 and the scapulars are entirely white, as are the shoulders ; 

 the under parts below the breast are white ; the tail- 

 coverts and the long, graduated, fan-like tail are black, 

 the latter on the upper surface richly loricated with 

 metallic bronze, green, and purple. Bill black ; tarsi 

 and toes black ; irides brown. Length 16 inches. The 

 nestling resembles its parents, but the colours are not 

 quite so brilliant nor the plumage so loricated. 



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