50 



Magpie (Pica rustica (Scopoli). 



337. ? Sex ; near York ; nth March, 1904. — Chiefly vege- 

 table matter (grass and glumes of oats) ; remains of 8 to 9 

 weevils (Otiorhynchus sp., Barypeithes brunnipes, &c.). 



338. ? Sex; Yorkshire; 11th March, 1904. — Numerous 

 fragments of beetles (Geodephaga and Rhynchophora) ; 1 holly 

 berry ; many small pellets of sheep's wool. 



339. ? Sex ; near Chester ; 4th April, 1905. — Contained about 

 equal proportions of acorns and beetles . The latter consisted 

 of 1 Carabus nemoralis, many dung beetles (Aphodii), and 

 fragments of weevils. 



340. Female ; Eaton, Chester ; yth May, 1894. — 3 mature 

 larvae of a large Noctuid moth ; 1 Sitones sp. ; fragments of 

 Geotrupes sp. ; 2 click beetles (Agriotes obscurus, Athous sp.) ; 

 2 wireworms ; fragments of Geodephagous beetles. 



341. Female ; Eaton, Chester ; yth May, 1894. — 1 moth 

 larvae (Noctuid) ; 1 weevil (Sitones ? sulcifrons) ; 3 click beetles 

 (Agriotes ? lineatus) ; 1 wire worm. 



342. Female ; Delamere, Cheshire ; 15th May, 1889. — The 

 •following dung beetles : — 10 Aphodius fimetarius ; many A. 

 punctato-sulcatus ; 3 sp. of Sphaeridium ; also the Geodephagous 

 beetles : 1 Amara sp. ; 2 Anchomenus marginatus and fragments 

 of weevils. 



343. Nestling ; Mouldsworth, Cheshire ; 4th June, 1903. — 

 Filled with the remains of 5 or 6 cockchafers (Melolontha vul- 

 garis), some of the specimens being almost perfect. 



344. ? Sex ; Bee Marshes ; October, 1904. — Remains of 

 field vole (Microtus agrestis, Linn.) ; fragments of Coleoptera ; 

 7 small angular pieces of brick; a small pellet of sheep's 

 wool. 



Summary. — 7 contained insects of the injurious group ; 

 4, beneficial group ; 4, indifferent group ; 1, wheat and oats ; 

 1, acorns ; 1, a holly berry ; 1, a field vole ; 2, pellets of sheep's 

 wool. 



Field Notes. — At Nant-y-Glyn, Colwyn Bay, 1885, I saw this 

 species rob the nest of a Song Thrush of its young, but I cannot 

 say if this habit is at all general. The young Thrushes were 

 only a few days old, and were carried off in the direction of 

 the Magpie's nest and were probably fed to the young ones. 



