Note: Information is dated. Do not rely on it.

Magpie. A bird belonging to the crow family. There are several species, two of which belong to America. The common European magpie is about eighteen inches in length; the plumage is black and white, the black glossed with green and purple; the bill is stout, and the tail is very long: The magpies continue in pairs throughout the year, and prey on a variety of food, chiefly animal. They are determined robbers of other birds' nests, destroying the eggs and young birds. In captivity they are celebrated for their crafty instincts, their power of imitating words, and their propensity to purloin and secrete glittering articles. The American magpie, Pica pica hudsonica, is a beautiful bird, about 18 inches long, purple black with large patches of white on the breast, rump, and top of the wings. The tail is long and pointed. It feeds largely upon meat. It is found principally in the Rocky Mountain region.

---