BIRD LEGEND AND LIFE 



for it is utterly at variance with anything which has ever 

 been written about him. 



Without waiting for a reply, the gaily-clad minstrel 

 flies off with a stop or two to another tree, where he is joined 

 by a mate as beautiful as himself, then quickly follows the 

 chatter for which their tribe is famous. Though they are 

 soon out of sight, the gossip continues, now coming from one 

 part of the grove, now from another. Evidently the pair 

 have been joined by others, for such a volume of chatter is 

 certainly beyond the power of any two birds, however much 

 they may be interested in neighborhood affairs. 



It was doubtless this obtrusive, bleating chatter, as well 

 as their senseless shrieking cries in flight, that gave rise to 

 the ancient belief that magpies were companions of Bacchus, 

 with tongues loosed by wine, who continued their revel even 

 in the absence of the bibulous god. With penetrating eyes 

 and ears alert, together with the keen intelligence possessed 

 by these birds, it is possible that they may be discussing af- 

 fairs of moment rather than the trivialities supposed to in- 

 terest them. Perhaps the pair who refused to enter the ark 

 and who remained outside perched on the roof tree, supposed- 

 ly gossiping, were talking to some purpose. There were 

 times when Noah was not as discerning as he might have 

 been, and even our interpretation of the language of the 

 magpie of to-day is wholly out of keepiug with the mental 

 strength of the bird. 



Seldom are magpies seen alone. Usually, except dur- 

 ing the nesting period, they go about in pairs or, in late 

 summer, with their famihes of the season. When foraging, 

 they bound over the ground with charming grace, stopping 

 now and then to tug at a worm, after the manner of our 

 friends the robins. 



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