Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-07-25

enough In garden TO atone lot the
harm it perpetrates in the poultry. yard.
1t is bold prosecutor of animals as
we'll as birds. A gentleman has said
that once in Norway his dog was pur.
sued and mobbed by about forty mag
pies.
In captivity the maybe learns to
speak words, sometimes succeeding al
most as we'll as the parrot, and It also
teaches itself queer tricks.
There was once a magpie that con-
ceived great friendship for a sheep
with long wool.
The bird would torment the other
sheep by pecking AZ their legs, but
would nestle in the soft warm wool of
its friend as in a great armchair. and
would also make this long wool hiding
place for its offerings.
Bright and glittering articles especial.
ly tempt this bird. Once a maybe
carried off TN old gentleman's red spec
tacle case, and then came back and flew
off with his spectacles. A teaspoon was
placed in the way of the pert little
thief in order to catch him. He was
watched and tracked, and these treas
ures, besides others, were found in a
depression in the roof of the house.
The plumsge of the magpie is very
beautiful and variegated, taking in the
colors black, white, blue, purple and
green. 1t is a common bird in Eng
land, very common in Ireland, and
found in this country. although not
often near the Atlantic co ,st.
1t makes a dome 81 Led nest, with u
door at the side, using thorny sticks for
the outside of the nest, earth for plas
tering it inside, and tibers and dry
grass for lining it.
The magpie likes to place its nest
near the top of a high tree, but some
times, when it has been kindly treated,
it will build in low bush. In Nor
way it is protected, and there it often
builds its nest under the caves of o
church or other building.
1t is quite fond husband and father
while the objects of its affection are
in sight, but it seems true of the mag.
pie that " out of sight is out of mind"
Unlike the parrot, that will have but
one mate in its lifetime, when the mag
pie loses it's spouse, it consoles itself by
obtaining another with quite unseemly
haste, never thinking more than two or
three days Of mourning necessary, and
sometimes supplying the vacant place
within few hours after the death of its
mate.
The raven is, indeed, curious bird,
-" CHASTITY, grim and ancient" 1t is
found almost all over the world, and is
fond of solitude and hills, building its
nest in high trees, the holes of inacess.
sible cliffs, or on lofty ruins near great
cities, and using the same nest year af-
ter year.
1t lives mainly upon animal food, and
devours almost any species of living
creature it can seize.
A raven has been known to ally itself
to terrier dog as friend and comrade.
The two would go out hunting in COM
pany, killing rabbits, hares and rats to.
gether.
"Not long ago." says an English
writer, II saw a raven in one of the
great London breweries, holding O
large sausage in his beak, and tapping
about the yard just in front of one OF
the draymen, to whom the stolen dainty
had evidently belonged.
1.-THE bird would not trouble itself
to make its escape, but in the most pro-
voking manner hoped along just yard
or so before its pursuer, and from all
appearance as likely to carry on the
same game for an hour or two for
while was sitting the relative positions
of the parties did not alter in the least.
If the man stopped, the bird
stopped too, and began to make such
evident preparations for swallowing the
sausage that the drayman rushed at it
again, and again the bird would just
flap yard or two in advance"
Despite tie cruelty of the raven in its
wild state, when domesticated, it is
docile and affectionate, and becomes at
tached to its master like dog.
1t is also good talker, having a re-
tentive memory, and repeating, not only
words, but sentences, with voice that
sounds like the human voice muffed.
The raven mbles the parrot, not
only in talking, but in longevity, living
in captivity to the age of seventy or
eighty years, with all its faculties
bright. 1t is said that it has been
known to reach the age of about one
years. Youths Companion.
SLAVERY IN AFRICA.-The idea that
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