f 
THE MAGPIE. 329 
This bird, like certain other species, has increased and multi- 
plied to a goodly extent in Ireland. The intelligent and trust- 
worthy gamekeeper at Tollymore Park (co. Down), the seat of the 
Earl of Roden, informed me, in Sept. 1836, that having ranged the 
country for many miles around the park, he, by robbing their 
nests, shooting and trapping them, destroyed in one half year 732 
birds and eggs. At the assizes held in the spring and autumn of 
every year, he “ presented ” for vermin killed, and on the occasion 
in question received 12/. for magpies, &c. So long as a reward was 
offered for their heads, he killed immense numbers of these birds. * 
In some particular districts of the north of Ireland, where the 
farms are small, and every cottage possesses a few sheltering trees, 
the magpie's nest is almost a certain accompaniment. The trees there 
being generally the open-topped ash, render the dark ball of the 
nest visible from so great a distance, that I have often reckoned 
a considerable number from one point of view. The magpie 
builds rather early, and in all kinds of trees, none being greater 
favourites than fine old hawthorns : the eggs not uncommonly 
amount to seven in number. Wm. Ogilby, Esq., favoured me 
with the following note, in 1847. It relates to a part of the 
county of Tyrone : — “ Erom the immunities accorded to this mis- 
chievous bird by some of the peasantry in my neighbourhood, 
under the apprehension that it is sure to revenge an injury by 
carrying off the young ducks and chickens of its persecutors, 
magpies had increased to so inconvenient an extent, that I last 
year employed two lads to rob their nests and bring me the eggs 
and young. The liberal reward of a penny per egg, and three 
pence for every young bird, soon thinned their numbers, and in a 
few weeks time there was not a nest to be seen for miles around. 
The old birds mostly deserted the country, but in one instance the 
persecution they met with only served to develope the extraordinary 
sagacity of a pair of magpies. Late in the season, — if I recollect 
right, about the middle of July, — one of the lads brought me a 
young brood from a nest which I afterwards inspected, and which 
was artfully concealed and built without down or any large collec- 
* Rewards were discontinued two or three years previous to 1836. 
