360 INSESSORES. PICA. Magpie. 



like others of this genus, may be taught tricks, and the arti- 

 culation of some words. When alarmed, the Magpie gives 

 warning to all other birds and animals of the approaching 

 danger by its chattering note, the import of which appears to 

 be understood, and universally attended to. In the northern 

 parts of England, the lingering remains of popular supersti- 

 tion still attach to the appearance of this bird, and various 

 are the events predicted from the numbers seen together, 

 their mode of flight, &c. The species is found in most of 

 the temperate and northern regions of the Old Continent ; 

 and in Asia, it is met with inhabiting the plains, in Siberia, 

 and as far as Kamtschatka. According to Temminck and 

 Dr Richardson, this bird exhibits also no specific difference 

 in many parts of North America. 



Plate 31. Fig. 2. Natural si.^e. 



General j^jjj black, with a small notch at the tip. Irides dark 

 descnp- ' ' 



tion. brown. Head, neck, back and breast black. The fea- 



thers on the throat very open in the texture, having but 

 few barbs, and terminating with a bristle. Scapulars 

 and belly white. Adjoining the tail-coverts is a bar of 

 greyish-white, loose silky feathers. Rump and vent 

 black. Wings glossed with blue and green reflections. 

 The central parts of the inner webs of the quill-feathers 

 white. First quill-feather very short, the fourth and 

 fifth being the longest. Tail about ten inches in length, 

 bluish-black, glossed with golden-green, blue, and pur- 

 ple, producing in di erent lights the richest iridescent 

 reflections ; is very wedge-shaped, the feathers rapidly 

 decreasing in length to the outermost, which are scarce- 

 ly half the length of the two central feathers, which are 

 even. Legs and claws black. The female resembles the 

 male bird, but is generally inferior in size. 



