File:Stories about birds of land and water (1874) (14750846675).jpg

Identifier: storiesaboutbird00kirb (find matches)
Title: Stories about birds of land and water
Year: 1874 (1870s)
Authors: Kirby, Mary, 1817-1893 Kirby, Elizabeth, 1823-1873
Subjects: Birds -- Juvenile literature
Publisher: Hartford (Conn.) : American Publishing Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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upon it. One day a farmer saw a magpie carrying off a chicken in his very sight.He fired his gun at her, but, though one leg was shot off, she still flew away andescaped. For a short time nothing more was seen of the magpie. But sheappeared again on the scene in the course of a week or two, and began thesame game of thieving. One day the farmer saw her going after a youngduckling. It fled to the pond to escape her, and swam away on the water.The magpie seemed bent on its destruction, and rashly ventured a little wayinto the water. Her wings became so wet that she could not all at once risein the air. The farmer was close behind, with a stick in his hand, and themagpie fell a victim to her habits of thieving, being killed on the spot. IHE MAGPIE. 127 The magpie has a chattering note pecuHar to himself. He is a greattalker, and sometimes turns his talents to account. If a fox or a cat is lurkingabout, he utters a warning cry, and keeps on doing so until the enemy hasslunk out of sip:ht.
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THE MAGPIE. He himself has many enemies, and requires all his activity and cunningto keep out of danger. The habit he has of robbing the nest of the pheasant,or the partridge, or the grouse, makes the gamekeeper at war with him, andhe fires at every magpie he sees. The farmer is not any more fond of him 128 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. than the gamekeeper, and his gun is often aimed at him. He remembers themagpies love for young chickens, and that the farmyard is none the betterfor his visits. Besides this, the other birds are not very friendly with the magpie, anddo not much like him, because when they are away he will come and steal theeggs out of their nests. Yet, in spite of all, the magpie is resolved, like the rook, to live near tothe dwellings of man. He can pick up so many treasures, and eke out hissupply of food by what he finds. Early in March the magpies begin to build their nests, and choose thetop of a tall tree, such as an ash or an elm ; or, where such accommodationis not to be

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