Indian Magpie. 

 Dendrociita rufa. 



II. THE MAGPIE. 



" Proud and pert as is a Pie." Chaucer. 



THE common Indian Magpie (Dendrocitta rufa) is cer- 

 tainly not the equal in pride and pertness of the European 

 bird which Chaucer knew. For one thing it has less to be 

 proud of, being soberly costumed in cinnamon and silver- 

 grey instead of snow-white and glossy black like Pica rus- 

 tica at home. Nor does it come down on the ground and 

 swagger about there ; its legs are very short, and restrict 

 its movements to hopping on the very rare occasions when 

 it does descend from the trees. Usually it keeps aloft, 

 searching among the foliage for any small game that may 



