10 Order Passer if ormes, Familg Luniidae, Genus Oymnorhina. 



taking to roosting on the branches. If the pair are success- 

 it; 1 in rearing the iirst brood they do not rear a second, but if 

 the .young are taken they lay again in the same nest, or if the 

 old nest is destroyed they build another near by, often in the 

 same spot. 



The young remain with the parents, being fed by them 

 for several months, during which time they continue to make 

 the baby cry; after this they live together, forming a small 

 company, till April or May, when they are driven off by the old 

 birds about to make preparation for the following nesting. 

 As soon as the young birds are driven away they flock; some 

 pick up mates and breed, but most of them remain in the flock, 

 rot breeding till the second year. 



A tame pair in the Children's Hospital garden built a nest 

 on a garden seat in August, 1911. The nest was built of pep- 

 per tree twigs, a piece of wire clothes line, several pieces of fine 

 iron wire, and some string; it was lined with hair and wooly 

 material, apparently from carpet sweepings. The first egg was 

 laid on September 1, the second on September 3, the third on 

 September 4. The female began to sit as soon as the first egg 

 was laid, and did practically all the brooding; she was fed on 

 the nest by the male. The first egg was hatched on Septem- 

 ber 21, and the other two upon the two following days, both 

 birds fed the 3 r oung and cleaned the nest by swallowing the 

 droppings. In a quite wild state they do not defend the nest 

 from men, but attack fiercely any other birds which come near 

 the nesting tree, even wedge-tailed, and whistling eagles are 

 driven off. When nesting near settlements they attack any- 

 one who comes near them, and have been known to inflict 

 serious scalp wounds. 



When the intruder has been driven off they fly to a tree 

 and pour forth a song to proclaim their victory. 



Song — A gurgling flute-like note, which is decidedly musi- 

 cal. In the early spring they often begin shortly after mid- 

 night, continuing at intervals till morning; the} r also sing in 

 the evening, but not frequently during the day. They also 

 make a loud challenge or alarm call. 



Magpies are very playful. Two may often be seen lying 

 on the ground on their sides, wrestling with their claws, but 

 if one of them gets hurt the game develops into a fight, each 

 trying to grasp the other across the bill with his claws, while 

 he punishes with his powerful beak, accompanied by the loud 

 challenge crv. 



