CORVHXE. 237 



But in spite of all this I am afraid it must be 

 admitted that the Magpie does commit considerable 

 depredations upon young animals, birds and their 

 eggs. Montagu has very little to say in its defence : 

 he says, "No animal food comes amiss to its car- 

 nivorous appetite ; young poultry, eggs, young lambs 

 and even weakly sheep it will attempt to destroy by 

 first plucking out their eyes; the young of hares, 

 rabbits and feathered game share the same fate ; fish, 

 carrion, insects and fruit, and lastly grain when 

 nothing else can be got." There is no great wonder 

 that a bird against which so much can be said, and that 

 with considerable truth, should suffer a great deal of 

 persecution, and, as far as the gun goes, perhaps 

 much mischief is not done ; but to call in the aid of 

 poison, either by poisoning wheat or any other 

 substance, for the destruction of even the most 

 mischievously disposed bird, does appear to be a 

 very dangerous and pernicious custom, and liable to 

 lead to much more destruction than was ever 

 intended or contemplated. In this county, at all 

 events in this part of it, I am glad to say this prac- 

 tice has never been much in use. 



The Magpie is rather an early nester : the nest is 

 usually placed in a high tree, but this rule is not in- 

 variable, as a low bush, an apple tree in an orchard, 

 or even a hedge-row, is occasionally chosen. The 

 nest is made of sticks, strongly woven together and 

 plastered inside with clay. There is an instance on 



