32 crow. 



the under parts from the breast, white; the rest of the plumage, 

 wings, and tail black, glossed with green, purple, and blue as opposed 

 to various lights ; the eleven first quills are white in the middle on 

 the inner web, lessening by degrees as they advance inwards ; the tail 

 very cuneiform, the two middle feathers near eleven inches long ; the 

 outer only five inches and half; legs black. 



The above is the description of a bird in the highest plumage in 

 the wild state, but when domesticated, and kept in a cage, the colours 

 lose their brilliancy, and appear to be merely black and white, and 

 the latter far from pure ; in short, in its state of nature, we must 

 confess, that our kingdom does not possess a more beautiful species. 

 The Magpie is very common in England, and feeds both on animal 

 and vegetable substances, frequently killing young ducks and 

 chickens, and sucking the eggs ; will sometimes pick out the eyes of 

 lambs, hares, rabbits, &c. if weak ; also eats insects, fruits, and even 

 grain, when distressed for food ; makes a large oval nest, of sticks 

 of black-thorn intermixed, having a cover at top, composed of the 

 latter, with a lining of earth, and fibres at bottom : this is built both 

 on high trees, and low shrubs ;* the eggs six or seven, of a pale 

 greenish colour, thickly spotted with black : is a crafty bird : when 

 brought up young, becomes familiar ; will talk many sentences, and 

 imitate, like the Parrot, every noise it hears, but in a less distinct 

 manner. 



This species is seen more or less throughout Europe : no where 

 more common than in the temperate and southern latitudes of Russia, 

 Siberia, and Kamtschatka, as well as in the adjacent Islands. — 

 Forster met with it at Madeira ; Russel at Aleppo ; f and Georgi 

 about the Lake Baikal. It is also seen in Chinese drawings ; and I 

 once saw a specimen from thence, the same as ours, but a trifle 

 smaller. — It certainly is a native of America, and though it very 

 seldom approaches the settlements, is to be found in the interior parts 



* Hence the distinction of Tree and Bush Magpie, supposed two different sorts. 

 t Hist. Alep. p. 69. 



