. Bird legend and life . that magpies were companions of Bacchus,with tongues loosed by wine, who continued their revel evenin the absence of the bibulous god. With penetrating eyesand ears alert, together with the keen intelligence possessedby these birds, it is possible that they may be discussing af-fairs of moment rather than the trivialities supposed to in-terest them. Perhaps the pair who refused to enter the arkand who remained outside perched on the roof tree, supposed-ly gossiping, were talking to some purpose. There weretimes when Noah was not as discerning as he might havebeen, and
. Bird legend and life . that magpies were companions of Bacchus,with tongues loosed by wine, who continued their revel evenin the absence of the bibulous god. With penetrating eyesand ears alert, together with the keen intelligence possessedby these birds, it is possible that they may be discussing af-fairs of moment rather than the trivialities supposed to in-terest them. Perhaps the pair who refused to enter the arkand who remained outside perched on the roof tree, supposed-ly gossiping, were talking to some purpose. There weretimes when Noah was not as discerning as he might havebeen, and even our interpretation of the language of themagpie of to-day is wholly out of keeping with the mentalstrength of the bird. Seldom are magpies seen alone. Usually, except dur-ing the nesting period, they go about in pairs or, in latesummer, with their families of the season. When foraging,they bound over the ground with charming grace, stoppingnow and then to tug at a worm, after the manner of ourfriends the robins. 76. Photograph by Edward Warren MAGPIES NEST The ramshackle nest, an immense structure ofsticks and mud, resembling a great tumble weed. MAGPIE LIFE While picking their way among the wet grasses andlow herbage or over muddy places, their beautiful tails, astheir most precious treasures, are held daintily aloft, and freefrom all pollution, as the birds search for snails, caterpillars,young mice and frogs. Occasionally they mount the backsof grazing cattle to feed on the flies that molest them, butusually they do not wander far from the thick shrubbygrowths, where they seek cover on the approach of enemies,real or supposed, and into which, on scenting danger, theydisappear as stealthily as cat-birds or cuckoos. It is herethat their homes may be found. The ramshackle nest, wholly incompatible with eitherthe fastidiousness or the intelligence of the bird, is an im-mense structure of mingled sticks and mud indiscriminatelyarranged, somewhat resembling one of the great t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidbirdlege, booksubjectbirds
