The magpie is a very handsome bird. He knows he is handsome, too. He
has a fine broad tail. There is a band of purple near the end of each
feather, and the end is green and purple.
He walks about with this handsome tail perked in the air. He does not
drag it in the dirt, not he!
He is a bright bird, too. He can learn to talk, and he is full of
pretty and naughty tricks. He is a--thief! He steals eggs from other
birds' nests. He strikes his bill through the egg and walks off with
it. And he does a worse thing than that. He steals the young birds and
eats them.
[Illustration: MAGPIE AND NEST.]
But the Magpie is very careful to build her nest so nobody shall steal
her eggs. In the first place she always builds on a high tree. She
chooses a tree that has a long smooth trunk, that the boys cannot
climb easily. How do you suppose she knows about mischievous boys? She
must make a study of boys.
She builds her nest of dry sticks and mud. She carpets it with wool
and fine roots. (Birds can always find plenty of wool sticking on the
bushes in sheep pastures. There is vegetable wool too, like the wool
on the growing ferns.) Then she makes a roof of sticks; she leaves
open a small round door at the side. So you see it is not easy for
boys or birds to steal her eggs.
Magpies like bright glittering things like silver spoons and rings.
They often steal them and hide them in their nests.
This Magpie is a European bird. There is a beautiful red Magpie that
lives in China.
[Illustration: MARY AND ANNIE FEED FLUFFY-DUMPTY.
{FROM "ANNIE'S DUCKS."}]