MAGPIE 
147 
Six eggs are usually laid, sometimes more ; they 
vary from the size of an unusually large Black- 
bird's to half as large again, and are easily 
recognisable, in spite of a good deal of variation 
among themselves. They are a clearer greenish- 
white in ground-colour than the Blackbird's egg 
or the Jay's, and are thickly spotted with green, 
as well, sometimes, as with fainter tints of grey. 
Their variations of appearance chiefly depend upon 
the greater thickness or fewness of the spots. The 
Magpie's usual habit is to build a fresh nest each 
year in the neighbourhood of the last ; and as it 
takes several seasons' decay to destroy these solid 
erections, a series of four or five in successive 
stages of disrepair, from the trim new nest of the 
year to the clod-like core of the oldest ruin, may 
often be found in close proximity in the same field 
or thicket. These birds destroy a great number 
of slugs, snails, and insects, as well as the eggs and 
young of other birds. It is probable that the 
common belief in their destructiveness to the 
poultry-yard and pheasant-rearing field is much 
exaggerated ; at any rate, in Norway they are pro- 
tected like Swallows at many of the farms, and 
may be seen there preening their feathers among 
the pigeons on the roof in perfect tameness. 
L 2 
