
53 THE NATURAL HISTORY. 
‘It very foon learns to talk, and to imitate the 
voice of other animals. Ihave read of one that - 
could counterfeit the cry of a calf, of a kid, and 
a fheep, and even the pipe of a fhepherd; ano- 
ther that could repeat a flourifh of trumpets. | 
- Plutarch (who has written the lives of many of 
the great men of Greece and of Rome) fays, that 
a Magpie, who was very fond of learning to imi- 
tate almoft every thing, having heard a flourifh 
of trumpets, became filent all on a fudden. This 
very much furprifed thofe who were ufed to hear 
him almoft always talk ; but they were ftill more 
furprifed foon after, shen he imitated, very ex- 
actly, the found which the trumpets had made, 
with all the notes and changes. 
“The Magpie is a very reftlefs bird ; when it is 
on the ground it is continually hopping about, 
and moving its tail, 
No bird is more attentive to its young, for if 
any bird of prey flies near its neft, the Magpie 
attacks him with eat courage, a and drives him 
ane 
aT he Magpie lays feven or eight eggs, ai only 
once a year, unlefs it be deprived of them, then it 
will lay a fecond time, but fewer eggs ; and if it 
be then robbed, it will lay a third time, but not fo 
| many eggs as before. 
| ) CARY O- 

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