see one in the forests far from man's dwelling place ; on the 

 contrary, its appearance was always a sure and welcome sign 

 of our vicinity to some house. 



The Magpie builds its nest, for the most part, in trees, 

 sometimes in thorn bushes and hedges, at a few feet only from 

 the ground. Some have supposed, I think without any suffi- 

 cient reason, that those choosing the latter situation were a 

 distinct species ; the formation of the nest, and the colour of 

 the eggs, are alike in both. In firmness of texture, and strength 

 of construction, no piece of architecture, of like materials, 

 can at all vie with the nest of the Magpie ; its outside is of 

 thorns, arched over, and so compactly put together, that it is 

 by no means an easy matter to force an entrance for the hand, 

 except at the proper door way 5 it is so thickly cemented at 

 the bottom, and plastered inside with clay, that when placed 

 at the top of a high tree, shot will scarcely penetrate it ; the 

 lining is composed of fine roots ; the eggs are six or seven, 

 rarely eight, in number, and differ in the diffusion of colour, 

 with many intermediate between Figs. 1 and 2 of the Plate ; 

 some have the spots large and distinct. 



