THE BIRDS OF THE AVIARY 



283 



croak, and talk for the pleasure of young- and 

 old, and he is one of the chief delights of many 

 a cottage home. 



The magpie, given to scoffing, and addicted 

 to strange, improper expressions which he picks 

 up here and there, is not a very comfortable 

 creature near a house ; he will even peck his 

 master with his sharp beak, and, like the crow, 

 steals every sparkling thing he sees, from a 

 pair of scissors to a diamond ring. Much cau- 

 tion must be shown in the feeding of these 

 birds. They need raw meat, but if too much is 

 given their natural!)' bad temper grows worse. 



From remote times the crow has played a 

 great part among peoples and popular beliefs. In 



Germany, when he flies in a circle it is thought to 

 be a sign of war. Crows li\'e in cou]-)les, and it sel- 

 dom happens that they flock together, although 

 it is said that they assemble in Iceland m the 

 autumn to decide where each couple is to settle. 

 The magpies were formerly thought to be 

 birds of ill omen. They brought disaster to 

 the hou.ses they llew over, and if nine gathered 

 together one of them was sure lo be a witch. 

 Peacock's feathers, but not the bird itself, are 

 still held to bring trouble to the household. 

 These birds are very long-lived, usually living 

 from twenty to twenty-four \'ears ; but crows 

 and rooks, especially rooks, are bcheved to 

 exist for two centuries. 



TiiK Crow and 'iiuc Rook 



Digitized by IVIicrosoft® 



