354 Animal Life 
Verily I am convinced that the wedge-tailed eagle guards its offspring with no greater 
vigilance, nor for their innocent sakes jeopardizes so often the safety of its own life, 
than does the handsome, stout-hearted magpie. 
Some years ago, while riding up the old Tambo River track, I was suddenly 
attacked from the rear by a vicious magpie. My horse—a youngster, well versed in 
the art of buck-jumping—was as greatly surprised as I by the unexpected rush of 
wings and double snapping of beak, and within an ace succeeded in getting rid of 
his rider. Speedily righting myself, however, 1 put the animal to a quick canter, 
hoping to leave the angry bird in sole possession of its chosen locality. But I was 
not to escape so easily, for the next moment I received a blow on the head which 
knocked my felt hat over my eyes. One glimpse only I caught of the magpie, 
crouching upon the turfy track, dishevelled and half stunned; then away went my 
startled neddy, pig-rooting and side-lashing at every other stride. While ascending 
the next rise at a respectable pace, I removed my felt in order to ascertain the 
cause of a certain smarting sensation on the crown of my head, and but a moment 
sufficed to prove that ““maggie’s” sharp beak had not only penetrated my felt hat, but. 
drawn blood from my scalp as well. 
It would be difficult to estimate the number of magpies annually shot during the 
close season merely on account of their fierce attacks upon all passers-by. Dogs are 
by no means exempt from such furious visitations of wrath, and so are frequently 
subjected to persecutions borne with but an ill grace. On several occasions I have 
“spotted” the stealthy movements of a fox or cat entirely owing to the noisy 
expostulations of mdignant magpies, roused to a sense of their danger by the approach 
of these recognised marauders of the bush. 
The magpie exercises no special caution im its selection of a nesting site, generally 
choosing a tree of medium height and placing a compact collection of dead twigs in 
some convenient fork. When completed the nest is fairly cup-like imside and almost 
entirely composed of sticks and twigs, just a little imterior lining bemg of sheep’s 
wool or tufts of cattle-hair. 
The egg of the magpie is considerably elongated towards the smaller end, and 
varies in actual appearance to a great extent according to locality. One specimen 
from the Angora Ranges, Gippsland, is sea-green in the ground-colour, olive-grey in 
markings. Another, from the banks of Maclane Creek (tributary of Little River, 
Upper Goulborne), is almost blue m the ground-colour, with but few light-brown 
markings, while a specimen taken in the vicinity of the You-yangs (Werrihi district) 
is mostly ashen-grey. 
The magpie is more frequently to be seen as the bushman’s pet than any other 
bird excepting perhaps the Lorry Parrot, and becomes in such confinement docile, 
clever, and unquestionably affectionate. 
EDITORIAL NOTE. 
Ir may be well to remind our’ rcaders that the bird which Mr. Lane, following colonial usage, calls a 
“Magpie” has nothing to do with the species te which that name properly pertains. The so-called Australian 
Magpies, of which there are four species, constitute the genus Gymnorhina of ornithologists, and are commonly 
known in this country as “piping crows,” or ‘‘crow-shrikes”; while one species (G. hyperleuca) is frequently 
termed in its native land “organ-bird.” Loud, piping notes are, indeed, characteristic of all the four species. 
Much uncertainty still prevails as to the systematic position of these birds and their relatives of the Australian 
genus Strepera, some ornithologists placing them in the crow tribe, while others consider their proper position 
to be with the shrikes. The species most commonly seen in this country is Gymmorhina tibicen, which ranges 
all over Australia. G. lewconota—the white-backed piping crow—is, on the other hand, confined to South 
Australia; while G. dorsalis is found in Western Australia. Tasmania is the home of the above-mentioned 
G. hyperleuca. 
