Magpies ; or, the English Birds of Paradise. 85 



last year. When so occupied, the Magpie is shy, if not 

 sly ; and will accumulate a half-barrowful of faggots on 

 the top of a Scotch fir close to your house, and, it may be, 

 right over your head, without your having seen it carry 

 a stick thither ! 



The disappearance of the Crow (I speak of Corvus 

 corone) from its customary haunts, much more interested 

 me. For I may almost claim individual acquaintance 

 with every bird of this species belonging to the parish I 

 reside in, with parts of others adjacent. I at least know 

 every family, with the field, ay, almost the exact spot, 

 where each could have been found any day throughout 

 the past winter. Their absence from these places told 

 me they too were occupied with the building of new 

 nests, or renovating the old ones. 



MAGPIES J OR, THE BNQLISH BIRDS OP 



PARADISE. 



It is scarce necessary to say that Magpies are numerous 

 in Siluria, as in most places where woods abound. Just 

 now, however, and for the two months past, any one 

 passing along our roads might imagine them in greater 

 numbers than they really are. For one of their habits, 

 hitherto not much observed, is to congregate in the early 

 days of spring, and remain so for several weeks; the 

 purpose evidently courtship, and the choosing of partners 

 for the nesting season to ensue. I have counted as many 

 as twenty thus together ; and their excited manner, with 

 much vociferation, would lead one to believe that this 



