HABITATION.--In its wild state it inhabits, during summer, the depth of woods, near which there are meadows and springs, and it does not quit this retreat till autumn, when it frequents those places where it can find acorns, beech-mast, and nuts. During hard winters it may sometimes be seen on the high road, seeking its food amongst the horse-dung. In the house it is kept like a jay. FOOD.--In its wild state, having a very strong beak, it can open the cones of the pine and fir, peel the acorns and beech-mast, and break the nut-shells. It also eats different sorts of berries, but prefers animal food and insects, in short, any thing it can get. In confinement it must be fed like the jay; but it is more easily tamed, and accustomed to use different words. It is so fond of animal food, that if a live jay were thrown into its cage it would kill it and eat it in a quarter of an hour; it will even eat whole squirrels which have been shot, and which other small birds of prey fly from with disgust. BREEDING.--Its nest, placed in a hollow tree, generally contains five or six eggs, with transverse brown streaks scattered on a dark olive grey ground. The young are reared on meat. MODE OF TAKING.--It may be taken in autumn by a noose, hanging service berries to it; success is more sure if some nuts be put near. It may also be taken in the _water-trap_. ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--Its actions are as amusing as those of a shrike; it imitates the voice of many animals, and chatters as much as the jay. To judge from the form of its tongue, it seems possible to teach it to speak, if attempted when young. THE MAGPIE. [Illustration] Corvus Pica, LINNÆUS; La Pie, BUFFON; Die Elster, BECHSTEIN. As the magpie generally frequents places near the abode of man, it is well known. It is eighteen inches in length, of which the tail alone measures ten. It may be called a handsome bird, although its plumage is only black and white, for these colours are perfect in their kind, and the tail, near the end, shines with a purple tint, gradually shading into steel blue. HABITATION.--The magpie builds its nest on trees which are near towns and villages; its eggs are pale green, speckled with grey and brown. In autumn the young ones assemble together in small parties. FOOD.--When wild, the magpie lives on worms, insects, fruits, or roots, and sometimes eats eggs and young birds in their nest. In the house, it likes bread, meat, and anything that comes from table; in short, when once tamed it does not fail to enter by the window at meal times to take its share. If it obtain too much, it hides what it does not eat for another time. This propensity is seen in young ones as soon as they can feed alone.