THE MAGPIE. 
long and twenty indies wide. A round domed cage is best, as 
in that he is less likely to damage his plumage. Let him have 
plenty of water to drink and to keep his glossy coat bright and 
clear. 
Food op the Starling. — The natural food of the starling is 
all sorts of insects, worms, grubs, and grasshoppers. In con- 
finement, however, he has a most accommodating appetite. 
He will eat meat raw and cooked, bread, cheese, mushrooms, 
in fact, everything that is neither salt nor sour. When old 
birds are newly caught they are very violent, and will often 
starve themselves to death. The best way to treat them is to 
pass an elastic ring over their bodies, so as to confine then* 
wings, and to strew the bottom of the cage with nuts, eggs, 
and meal-worms. 
Diseases op the Starling. — Like many other birds, the 
starling is subject to atrophy, which exhibits itself in the 
emaciation of the bird and unhealthy appearance of its 
plumage. This in all probability arises from want of fresh 
air ; a visit to the country is the best medicine, cleanliness and 
careful feeding the next. 
Unless you supply him with plenty of water, and thus 
enable him to keep himself clean, he will harbour vermin. 
The best way to destroy the little hosts is to infuse half an 
ounce of tobacco in a quart of warm water, and well syringe 
the bird’s plumage with the mixture, afterwards cleansing him 
with clear warm water. 
CHAPTER Y. 
the magpie. 
The magpie enjoys the reputation of being the sauciest, the 
most inquisitive, and the most thievish of the feathered tribes. 
I say “ enjoys,” and I believe it, for never does he display so 
much vivacity as when engaged in a robbery; never do his 
jolly eyes so sparkle as when he is abusing an enemy according 
to his powers of speech. Hot that his tongue is his only 
defensive weapon — to the power of his short, sharp, black 
beak, of the colour of and looking as hard as steel, many cats 
and dogs could bear testimony. 
Although simply black and white, he is a handsome fellow. 
