162 BEITISH BIEDS 



ground, and his movements are then utterly unlike those 01 any other 

 ground-feeder. His manner of running and hopping about, flinging 

 up his tail ; his antics and little, excited dashes, now to this side, 

 now to that, give the idea that he is amusing himself with some 

 solitary game rather than seeking food. Eichard Jefferies has given 

 so accurate and vivid a picture of the bird in his ' Wild Life in a 

 Southern County ' that I cannot refrain from quoting it in this 

 place. ' To this hedge the hill-magpie comes ; some magpies seem 

 to keep entirely to the downs, while others range the vale, though 

 there is no apparent difference between them. His peculiar uneven, 

 and, so to say, flickering flight marks him out at a distance, as he 

 jauntily journeys along beside the slope. He visits every fir-copse 

 and beech-clump in his way, spending some time, too, in and about 

 the hawthorn hedge, which is a favourite spot. Sometimes in the 

 spring, when the corn is yet short and green, if you glance carefully 

 through an opening in the bushes, or round the side of the gateway, 

 you may see him busy on the ground. His rather excitable nature 

 betrays itself in every motion : he walks, now to the right a couple 

 of yards, now to the left in quick zigzag, so working across the field 

 towards you ; then, with a long rush, he makes a lengthy traverse 

 at the top of his speed ; turns, and darts away again at right angles ; 

 and presently up goes his tail, and he throws his head down with a 

 jerk of the whole body, as if he would thrust his beak deep into the 

 earth. This habit of searching the field, apparently for some 

 favourite grub, is evidence in his favour that he is not so entirely 

 guilty as he has been represented of innocent blood. No bird could 

 be approached in that way. All is done in a jerky, nervous manner. 

 As he turns sideways, the white feathers show with a flash above 

 the green corn ; another moment, and he looks all black.' 



In disposition the magpie is restless, inquisitive, excitable, and 

 loquacious. Where he is greatly persecuted by gamekeepers as, 

 indeed, is the case almost everywhere in England he grows so 

 wary that, in spite of his conspicuous colouring, it would be almost 

 Impossible to get a glimpse of him, were it not for his outbursts of 

 irrepressible excitement and garrulity. The sight of a stoat, fox, or 

 prowling cat will instantly cause him to forget the more dangerous 

 keeper and his gun, and to fill the coppice with cries of alarm. 

 The feathered inhabitants of the wood hurry from all sides to 

 ascertain the cause of the outcry, and assist in driving out the 

 intruder. But the keeper, too, hears ; this is the opportunity he 

 has been long watching and waiting for ; and if he approaches the 



