204 
VERTEBRATA. 
enough to evade their wrath. No animal food comes amiss to its carnivorous appetite ; young 
poultry, eggs, young lambs, and even Aveakly sheep it will attempt to destroy, by first plucking out 
their eyes ; the young of hares, rabbits, and feathered game share the same fate ; fish, carrion, in- 
sects, ft-uit, and lastly grain, when nothing else can be got. It is an artful, noisy bird, proclaiming 
aloud any apparent danger, and thereby giving notice to its associates. Neither the fox nor other 
wild animal can appear without being ob- 
served and haunted ; even the fowler is fre- 
quently spoiled of his sport, for all other 
birds seem to know the alarming chatter 
of the magpie," This bird is easily tamed, 
and chatters to those who feed him, imi- 
tates human voices, and performs many 
amusing tricks. Like many of the crow 
family, it has a strange desire to pilfer and 
secrete small shining objects, especially 
pieces of money, and in this way is ex- 
tremely mischievous when allowed to go 
about the house. The affecting story of 
the "Magpie and the Maid," in which the 
latter Avas charged with theft, while the 
magpie was the culprit, is founded on fact, 
and is familiar to all. 
This species is found throughout Europe, 
and is constantl}^ seen in the meadows and 
fields of England, France, Germany, and 
Italy. It is also abundant in this country, 
though it is confined to the western re- 
gions — that is, from Texas, northward 
through Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, 
and the British territories to latitude 58°. 
Some naturalists have supposed it must 
be a distinct species, as by a strange in- 
stinct it remains fixed in the unsettled 
territories of the West, while in Europe 
it seems to haunt the abodes of man. It 
has, however, the same size, markings, 
structure, and habits as the foreign magpie, 
and is therefore supposed to be of the 
same species. Travelers in the West are 
sometimes very much annoyed with them, 
as they will often penetrate their tents 
and snatch the meat from the dishes; and 
if a horse chance to have a sore back, they 
will descend upon it, and attempt to make 
a meal of the living flesh. 
There is another species of this bird, 
the Yellow-bellied Magpie, P. Nuttalli, 
in California : in the eastern hemisphere 
there are several closely allied to it, among 
which is the Dendrocitta vagabunda, com- 
mon in India ; and the Picathartes gymno ~ 
cephalus, of Africa, which has the neck bare of feathers, and somewhat resembles the vultures in 
appearance and habits. 
THE PARADISE PIE. 
