226 RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



The food of the Alagpie is varied : Hke all the Ciovv 

 family, they will eat carrion, and attack the smaller 

 quadrupeds when young or sickly. The Raven will 

 attack the newly born or weakly lambs. The Magpie 

 will devour anima'.s which his smaller size and strength 

 allow him to master. Insects, various kinds of fruit, 

 notably the acorn, and the eggs of birds, all help to sus- 

 tain the Magpie : nothing comes amiss to him. But with 

 all his gorgeous plumage, active motions, usefulness, and 

 trustfulness in man, the Magpie has but few friends. 

 Gamekeepers and preservers know his weakness for the 

 eggs of game, and persecute him accordingly, and his 

 shining plumes are by far the commonest seen adorning 

 the tree trunks which constitute the keeper's ' museum.' 

 When the Magpie discovers a Pheasant's or Partridge's 

 nest containing eggs, he thrusts his strong beak into the 

 shell and carries them off one by one to some quiet nook, 

 where he can dispose of them in peace. But after all 

 the Magpie's plunders are trivial, and when we bear in 

 mind what an infinite amount of good these feathered 

 scavengers perform, we are compelled to admit that their 

 services could ill be spared. 



For my part I would much rather see the Magpie 

 flying gracefully over the woods and meadows, and find 

 pleasure in his varied habits and gorgeous plumage, 

 than sacrifice his life on the rather obscure charge of egg 

 stealing, especially when I know that after all he is but 

 following the course laid down for him by the designing 

 hand of Nature, and that at most his inroads are but 

 small, for Dame Nature has provided all her feathered 

 subjects with abundant means of safety for their eggs 

 and young. 



