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Mr. Felix J. Koch,



OUR PILFERING, CHATTERBOX FRIEND,

THE MAGPIE.


CURIOUS FACTS ABOUT THE THIEF OF THE BIRD-

WORLD AND HIS DEPREDATIONS.


By Felix J. Koch.


We were standing before a cage of large, black birds in the

great City Park Zoo, out at Denver, watching the happy, chattering

creatures, seemingly having the “time of their lives,” while they

flitted from bough to bough in the trees of their run, or circled round

some nests they were building.


Jack Roosa had just been commenting how lovely the birds

were — a foot and a half in length at least : head, neck, back and

upper tail-coverts a jet black, while on the throat a stripe of grayish-

white appeared, and there was the purest of white on the scapulars.

In addition, the wing'-coverts played a fine shiny blue, such as the

purple-grackle will show in the sun-light. The birds appeared so

well groomed, so immaculate, little wonder Roosa was impressed.


More than that, the entire flock of them seemed so solicitious

about that nest. It was built as high up in the tree as they could

conveniently get ; withal that, in the wild state, sometimes the

birds will desert high trees for hedges—and outside there were

sharp, thorny sticks, to keep out all intruders. Inside, however, the

mother-bird had a downy bed of dry grass and roots, and, lest the

rain pour in or the wind blow down, she was now preparing to cover

this over with an intricate roof, making her entrance then at the side.


When this was completed she would lay her six or seven eggs

inside it. “ Beauty is what beauty does ! ” a voice remarked behind

him, as the boy concluded, “ Evidently you don’t know in whose

presence you are at this moment ? ”


Jack flushed, wondering and puzzled : and we, — well, we had

to admit we weren’t so certain, either.


The attendant threw some food to the birds : then scenting

the chance of a “ tip,” perhaps, went on :—


Once upon a time — long, long ago—a humble serving-maid

held a position in the home of a rich and powerful family. The girl

had not held her place long enough to establish her reputation com-



