﻿44 Birds 



MAGPIE. 



Pica pica. 



The account of the Jay applies equally well to the Magpie, as 

 regards its persecution by gamekeepers, also in its distribution ; 

 but in Ireland it is a very abundant bird, and apparently still on 

 the increase. Although frequenting woodlands, the Magpie also 

 haunts more open country, being commonly met with in pastures, 

 fields and moorlands, where it may often be found in considerable 

 flocks, searching the land for the grubs of noxious insects, slugs, and 

 other food. It renders good service to the farmer by devouring 

 large numbers of injurious insects and their larvae, also snails, slugs, 

 field mice and young rats. In the winter nuts, beech-mast, acorns 

 and berries are also eaten. Like the Jay, it destroys eggs and game 

 chicks when opportunities occur, but the benefit it confers on 

 agriculture by the destruction of innumerable insects counter- 

 balances the harm caused to the game preserve. 



The large nest is generally built at some height from the 

 ground, either in a tree or a tall thorn-hedge, but occasionally it is 

 placed low down in bushes. It is a large structure, composed of 

 thorny sticks fixed together with mud or clay, with a deep cup- 

 shaped centre lined with fine roots. It is roofed over with a 

 thorny covering, with only a narrow space between the roof and 

 the nest proper. The eggs usually number six, but sometimes 

 as many as nine are produced; they are either light green or 

 creamy-white in ground-colour, densely freckled and blotched with 

 olive-brown. 



The aduiti s a strikingly handsome bird ; the head, neck, back 

 and breast are rich, glossy black, shot with green and purple ; the 

 rump greyish ; scapulars, belly and flanks snowy-white ; primaries 

 black, glossed with green ; secondaries black, glistening with 

 purple ; tail black, shot with bronze-green and purple reflections ; 

 under tail-coverts black ; bill, legs and feet also black. The female 

 is rather smaller and less brilliant in colour. 



JAY. 



Garrulus glandarius. 



Although the Jay has been much persecuted by gamekeepers 

 on account of its liking for eggs, it has managed, by its extreme 



