A NATURALIST’S NOTES FROM THE BUSH. 
By Cyrm Grant Lann, with a photograph by the Author. 
V. THE MAGPIE. 
BELIEVE that in the length and breadth of Victoria no bird is better—perhaps 
so well—known than the Magpie. Its fearless, undaunted nature probably has much 
to answer for in this matter, since the bird takes up its abode without evincing the 
slightest timidity wherever there is conspicuous evidence of the presence of man; 
indeed, seems to specially favour such localities. 
At the present moment, while engaged writing these few lines—I am sitting 
beneath lofty blue-gums which gently sway in a honey-scented atmosphere, seeming 
to keep-time with the gurgling music of an adjacent creek as they slowly rock to 
and fro—I see a fine cock magpie perched upon a straggling lmb of a yellow-box 
tree, and its presence awakens in my mind various points of interest attaching to it. 
The bird at almost all times is a conspicuous object owing to extreme colouring, 
dominating mien, active, energetic disposition, and an undoubtedly pugnacious nature. 
A more appropriate name than “magpie” could not be chosen for it, since a better 
study in black and white would be difhicult to obtain. The white patches upon the 
neck, wings and under-part of the tail are of the most snowy whiteness, the 
remaining portions of the body a perfect black. The beak—and it is a dreaded, 
powerful weapon responsible for the death of many a bird—is of a slaty hue, and 
exceedingly hard. The wing and tail feathers are stiff to a degree, causing something 
of that whistling sound so well known in the flight of wild duck when the birds 
pass swiftly overhead. The legs and feet are black, armed with claws as sharp and 
strong, though not so curved, as those of a hawk. The eye is jet black, bright and 
full, and remarkably keen. The plumage of the hen mapgie is blackish-brown in 
colour, rather ssombre-looking, possessing little of that attractiveness due, in its mate, 
to diametrically opposed colouring. 
Just a word in respect of the magpie’s power of flight. I know of no bush- 
birds outside the hawk families which descend from great heights with such extreme 
velocity, or are capable of rushing so rapidly among the tree-tops in pursuit of 
offending birds chancing to approach too near to its jealously-sentinelled preserves. 
The ability of small, and often large birds too, to dodge with greater dexterity than 
their pursuant often alone saves them from a sudden and undeserving death, for the 
enraged magpie, boring its way through the air with constant snaps of the beak, 
rapidly gains upon the object of its annoyance and not infrequently wounds, if not 
kills, the retreating bird with its strongly-built well-balanced bill. 
Should an eagle chance to raise the displeasure of these pugnacious birds by a 
calm disdain for their presence, a melee invariably ensues and generally terminates in 
the discomfort of the kingly bird. Strident cries and whirring wings are heard ‘in all 
directions. A few cocks perch upon the highest tree-tops, whistling defiance, while 
others, with a notable zigzag flight, rush upwards towards the apparently oblivious 
eagle. In the twinkling of an eye the eagle is surrounded by a shrieking, madly 
excited mob of birds, all aiming their. blows, abuse, and snapping beaks at one common 
centre, and that centre a gracefully-sailing, totally unconcerned “king of all birds 
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