Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . This may, at least inpart, be true; but no positive proof can exist of such being the it is, that in particular parts of America, where the crowswere completely eradicated or driven away by incessant firing, the num-bers of noxious insects increased so prodigiously that the farmers, totheir sorrow, found the remedy worse than the disease
Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . This may, at least inpart, be true; but no positive proof can exist of such being the it is, that in particular parts of America, where the crowswere completely eradicated or driven away by incessant firing, the num-bers of noxious insects increased so prodigiously that the farmers, totheir sorrow, found the remedy worse than the disease; the whole districtagreeing to suffer the persecuted crows to return, and occupy again theirold quarters. > 746. Why does the structure of the magpie adapt it either for a tree or a ground bird? Because the wings are onlyof moderate length, whichrenders them suitable for tak-ing the air at all angles, andalso for turning. The tail isalso greatly developed, cap-able of considerable action,and wedge-shaped; the firstand second properties beingrequisite in the frequent ascentsand descents of the bird, andthe last in avoiding the twigsand other obstacles which the bird could not have so well avoided, if the tail had been square at the KNOWLEDGE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 243 So doth the magpie mischievously stealOf wealth he knows not—only to conceal.—Newman. i ? 747. Why have magpies the reputation of being thiev-ing birds? These birds possess a strong degree of curiosity in ob-servation, and seem to have an especial perception forbrilliancy of color. If, for instance, there were two smallpieces of potters ware, of the same size, shape, and con-sistency, and if one piece were coarse and brown and theother glazed, it is almost certain that the magpie wouldcarry off the glazed piece, but certainly not the other: soalso, if a shilling and a halfpenny were left in this birdsway, the shilling would in all probability be carried offand the halfpenny left. This fondness for bright
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1916
