MACKEREL—MAGPIE. 151 
MAGPIE [No. 6]. From Mag, a diminutive, of Margaret, 
and Fr. Pie, a Magpie. Found in Barlow’s plates (1655) 
as “Magpye.” Occurs in Merrett and also Willughby 
as Magpie; Albin spells it “‘ Magpy,” and Rutty “ Magpye.” 
The folk-lore of our islands is tolerably rich in allusions 
to the Magpie, as are also the still, or recently, existing 
evidences of totemism or animal-worship. Keary (‘‘ Outlines 
of Primitive Belief’’) says that in Ireland a Magpie tapping 
at the window is taken as a death-warning; also that 
it is unlucky to kill one of these birds; the latter belief 
is also met with in north-east Scotland (Gregor). Gray 
mentions a Dunbar bailie who was in the habit of turning 
back home if he encountered a pair of Magpies on setting 
out. Harland and Wilkinson (“Lancashire Folk Lore ”’) 
record the belief that it is unlucky to meet a Magpie, and 
when it is seen the hat is raised in salutation and the cross 
signed on the breast or made by crossing the thumbs and then 
spitting over them. Brand (“ Popular Antiquities ’’) makes 
it accounted unlucky in Lancashire to see two Magpies 
together. In Devonshire, according to Dyer, the peasant, 
on seeing a single Magpie, spits over his right shoulder three 
times to avert ill-luck, repeating the following words :— 
Clean birds by sevens, 
Unclean by twos ; 
The dove in the heavens 
1s the one I choose, 
In parts of the North of England it is said to be unlucky to 
see it cross the path in front of one from left to right, but 
lucky if from right to left. In the north east of Scotland 
the sight of one is considered lucky in some villages and 
unlucky in others (Gregor). 
A belief in the power of the Magpie to transform itself 
into human form is recorded as among the superstitions of 
Clunie, Perthshire, until the end of the eighteenth century 
(Gomme). The first Magpies that migrated to Ireland are 
said to have landed in south-east Wexford, where the first 
English settlement also took place, and whence the Magpies 
have since spread over the island. Smith (“History of 
Cork ’’) says it was not known in Ireland seventy years 
before the time at which he wrote, about 1746. Anold Irish 
saying in this connection is that —‘‘Ireland will never be 
rid of the English while the Magpie remains.” Barrett 
Hamilton (‘‘ Zool.,” 1891, p. 247) thinks Magpies were first 
seen in Ireland about 1676 when “a parcel” landed in 
Wexford. Morysonin 1617 states that “Ireland hath neither 
