
"There is fcarcely any thing which Magpies do 
not eat; and they are very careful too, for when 
they have had enough they endeavour to hide 
what is left for another time. ; 
© The Magpie is very ingenious in building his 
- geft: it is made firft of {mall twigs of hawthorn, 
and the thorns {tick outwards, they are faftened 
together with roots of grafs; it is then lined with 
grafs and wool, and plaftered within with mud. 
The neft is very large: and as it may eafily be 
feen, and the Kites and Hawks would be very apt 
to take away its young, it is (perhaps for that 
’ 
reafon) quite covered on the top with thorns : 
thefe thorns are curioufly faftened together, fo 
that only one little. hole is left for the Magpie to 
get in at. 
The Magpie’s head, and throat, and back, and 
tail, are of a beautiful black, glofled with green, 
~ and blue, and purple ; his breaft, and part of his 
of him, 
wings, are white; and his tail js very long. 
There are very beautiful Magpies in Italy and 
China, but they are not quite like this that is 
found in England, ; 
_ The Magpie is eafily made tame. Mr. Buffon 
knew one that pafled both the day and the night 
with a number of cats, and made them all afraid 
O;F) «Bsl Rep s: a. yt 
C 2 It 
\ 
