FIFTH FIELD MEETING. 21 
any cerous skin about the beak. This then, ] thought, must 
have been taken when roosting. In 1845 the old owls alone 
were seen, and they passed the summer in sedate retirement, and 
seemed to rest from the labours of propagation; neither did they 
molestthemagpies. But in 1846they began to be veryactiveearly 
in the spring, and by the beginning of May again had their young 
owlets out upon the branches. Walking out about nine o’clock 
one evening, I heard a pertinacious attack going on against a 
pair of magpies that had their nest in the top of a very tall 
sycamore. At last instead of the frantic chattering of the poor 
magpies, one of them began to shriek in agony like a hare when 
caught in a noose ; and it was evident the owl was endeavouring 
to drag it out—the mother bird—by the head from the entrance 
of the nest. I ran down to the spot to prevent the perpretration 
of such murder, and arrived in time to separate the combatants by 
striking against the stem of thetree witha stick. Before the next 
morning the young of our only pair of rooks had disappeared 
from the nest, in a situation where nothing but the owls could 
have injured them. This was too bad ; a decree went forth against 
the young owls, and they paid the penalty of their voracious 
appetites. 
It is thus evident that the magpie’s instinct in arching over her 
nest is necessary to enable her and her mate to defend it against 
rapacious birds. Probably the raven, the buzzard, and the kite, 
may be all disposed to make unfriendly visits, wherever their 
race has not been exterminated by pitiless gamekeepers. But it 
is evident that the tawny owl is a formidable enemy. The re- 
luctance of the rook to build out of society may also be better 
understood, as it cannot defend its open nest against the owl at 
night; and also one reason why the instinct of the daw leads it 
always to seek the shelter of a hole, although, as Mr. Waterton 
remarks it appears to be as hardy a bird as the rook. That 
wisdom and beneficence which never err may have given them 
instincts for other and more important ends than human eyes 
may ever be able to descry, but it is always gratifying when we 
think we can in part understand the utility and design of differ- 
ences so striking. 
