Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1915-04-03 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE MAGPIE.  Th Pyot jerks and chatters in the tree." This \veil-known line, from Whyte Mevill pathetic picture in his "Place where the 0.:(1 horse died pretty well hits off one of the main cheracterisi.icts of the "Maggie," for there is no doubt that she quite enjoyed the grief of the master of this old horse, and would have been quite ready to tear out the very eyes of the old favourite had ehe got the chance. 01 all the birds in wood or tree, this chronic complainiag, uneepmeful bird is the least likely to be commended by eountry people. But there are several ways of looking at Mag, end neither the noisy, cantankerous chatter nor the ever-rest spirit that is within her (but especially him!) would suggest the feeling of animosity had not her propensity to plunder, murder, and steal been so Often clemenetrated in the very act; but that is sot. the worst ban under whicli oh e kres. She's a bird of ill omen, particularly when seen alieue, end that is the way site is oftenest seen. Now that is enough to make her a mark of constant destruotion. Like everything. she has seine points to redeem her character, which we shall see. but it's a pity they are all regarded as small virtues compared ei her sins. Mag i alweys regerdei a:, a member of the gentler sex., so my readers will understand when I give her preference as the better half" in this paper. There is no doubt but that Mag cemes into the world with an unnecessery jerk, and •goes out of it with a flounce, and. probably a scream-there is eniphaticeilly no repose about her. As a "ram gorb " she is never still. and stays not a minute longer than those little pen-feathered wings will enable her w hoist herself out of the monotonous emit:fee el her nest • often as not like tumbles out, and suffers tle penalty of youthful impetueeity. Mr end Mrs Meg are naturally a shy end waxy couple, but in the ereeding season they ere quite impudent. They begin housekeeping very early in the yeast-, before there ttie any leaves to shelter their dwell ine ; but they of ten build close to houses and in exposed places. There seems no particular rule laid down in the family erchives concerning the position of the nest, and each pair USK% its owu discretion. *enetineis the very top of a tall tree is ohoeen, sometimes a low hedge; bite although the 'totality is optional, the mode of conenruction is the same with all the family. They are careful to make a roof to their house, why it. would be hard to 'WV. Some affirm it is to protect the eggs and the hj.tle " pies" from the depredations of other birds,. but this ien hardly be the true reason, for wlloPe there is rOOlll (0.1. the parent birds to go in and out, there is room for almost any other heried herglar to enter. The cradle of the oserion (wow is even more exposed. and eirele Mother Nature would not have forgotten to teach them had any sieh etion been neeassaey. 'Pbe number of eggs ted in the nest veries from live to Mee. but usually there are tseven. They are very small in proportion, and vary in complexion fie noich as the number. The prerailing oolour s pale blue, with a greater or less sprinkling of black spots, or soinetimes none at all. The infants are hatched with their eve.s Shut, and some days seapee before they are able to gaze upward at tiles blue vault of lieasen or down on the good things of the world. Should one of the eggs be addled, it is allowed to remain in the tient inti. the following year, unless some of those crla.rrels. which will take place .in the best et regulated nu,rseries, lead to to destruction.