The Black-billed Magpie 



with righteous indignation and impelled to punitive slaughter, you fall 

 to wondering if your commission as avenger is properly countersigned, 

 and — shirk the task outright. 



The cattle-men have it in for him, because the persecutions of the 

 Magpie sometimes prevent scars made by the branding iron from healing; 

 and cases are known in which young stock has died because of malignant 

 sores resulting. This is, of course, a grave misdemeanor; anything 



which affects our pocketbook is sure 

 to be rated such. But when the in- 

 humane custom of branding 

 shall have been discontinued, 

 as it will be when the fence- 

 loving farmer triumphs over 

 the freedom-loving cattleman 

 (a sad day, however), we shall 

 hear no more complaints of 

 the Magpie on the score of 

 cruelty to animals. 



Beyond this it is indis- 

 putably true that Magpies 

 are professional nest robbers. 

 At times they will organize sys- 

 tematic searching parties, and 

 advance through the sage-brush, 

 poking, prying, spying, and de- 

 vouring, with the ruthlessness 

 and precision of a pestilence. 

 Not only eggs but young birds 

 are appropriated. I once saw a 

 Magpie seize a half-grown 

 Meadowlark from its nest, carry 

 it to its own domicile, and parcel 

 it out among its clamoring brood. 

 Then, in spite of the best de- 

 fense the agonized parents could 

 institute, it calmly returned and 



selected another. Sticks and stones shied by the birdman merely deferred 



the doom of the remaining larks. The Magpie was not likely to forget 



the whereabouts of such easy meat. 



Nor is such a connoisseur of eggs likely to overlook the opportunities 



afforded by a poultry yard. He becomes an adept at purloining eggs, 



Taken in Inyo County 



Photo by the Author 



A BIRD IN THE HAND 



34 



