THE RED-LEGGED CROW.

It is from the bright and deep orange hue of its legs that this bird derives its name. It is about the size of the Jack-daw, is of an elegant form, and unable to bear severe weather. The Red-legged Crow builds in cliffs and ruinous castles along the shore, and are seldom to be found in this country, except in North Wales and Cornwall. The bill of this bird is long, much curved, sharp at the tip, and of a bright red colour; the plumage is altogether of a purplish violet black the legs are as red as the bill; the claws are large, much hooked, and black.

The female lays four or five white eggs, spotted with yellow. It is an active and restless bird, and feeds on insects and berries: it is said to be particularly fond of the juniper-berry. Glittering objects attract it, and it has been known to pull from the fire lighted pieces of wood to the no small danger of the house. Thatched houses sustain much injury from it, in consequence of its tearing holes in the straw with its long bill.

THE MAGPIE.

THIS lively and handsome bird is common in England, and is found on the Continent, but not so far north as

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Lapland, or farther south than Italy. In Norway it is so scarce that the appearance of it is supposed to portend death. It is about eighteen inches in length. The head, neck, and breast are of a deep black, finely contrasting with the snowy whiteness of the under parts; the neck feathers are very long, and extend down the back, leaving only a small space, of a grayish ash colour, between them and the tail coverts, which are black; the plumage in general is glossed with green, purple, and blue, which catch the eye in different lights; the tail is very long and wedgeshaped; the under tail coverts, thighs, and legs, are black; on the throat and part of the neck there is a kind of feathers, mixed with the others, resembling strong whitish hairs.

It feeds, like the crow, on almost every thing animal as well as vegetable, and frequently commits ravages in rabbit warrens and poultry yards. It never undertakes long journeys, but flies from tree to tree, at moderate distances. The female builds her nest with great art, leaving a hole in the side for her admittance, and covering the whole upper part with a closelytangled texture of thorny branches, so as to secure her retreat from the attacks of other birds: the inside is furnished with a sort of mattress, composed of wool and other soft materials, on which her young repose: she lays seven or eight eggs, of a pale green colour, spotted with black.

The Magpie is crafty and familiar, and may be taught to pronounce words, and even short sentences, and will imitate any particular noise which it hears. It is addicted, like other birds of its kind, to stealing, and will hoard up its provisions.

In the north of England, if a Magpie be observed flying alone, it is thought a sign of ill luck; two forebode something fortunate; three, a funeral; and four, a wedding.

THE JAY.

OF British birds the Jay is one of the most elegant. On his forehead is a tuft of white feathers streaked with black, which he can erect at will, and the motions of which are indicative of his feelings. His back and breast are of a delicate cinnamon colour, and his wings are beautifully chequered with black, white, and blue. His voice is harsh, grating, and unpleasant. Upon seeing the sportsman, he gives, by his cries, the alarm of danger, and thereby defeats his aim. The Jay builds in woods, and makes an artless nest of sticks, fibres, and tender twigs; the female lays five or six eggs, of a grayish ash colour, mixed with green, and faintly spotted with brown.

Like the magpie the Jay is talkative and ready to imitate sounds. One of them has been known to mimic so exactly the noise made by the action of a saw, as to induce passengers to believe that a carpenter was at work in the house. Another had learned, when cattle approach, to set a cur dog on them, by whistling and calling him by name. The poor Jay, however, at last paid dearly for his mischievous tricks. Having set his quadruped associate upon a cow which

was big with calf, the cow was much hurt, he was complained of as a nuisance, and his owner was obliged to destroy him.

THIS rare bird is about the bigness of a jay, and his plumage is of exquisite beauty; it vies with the parrot in an assemblage of the finest shades of blue and green, blended with white, and heightened by the contrast of graver colours, from which perhaps it has been called the German parrot, although in every other respect it differs from that bird. Its bill is black, set with short bristles at the base: the eyes are encircled with a ring of naked skin, of a yellow colour, and behind them is a kind of wart: the head, neck, breast, and belly are of a light pea-green; and the points of the wings and upper coverts of a rich deep blue; the greater coverts pale green; the quills are of a dusky hue, inclining to black, and mixed with deep blue; the rump is blue; the tail is somewhat forked; the lower parts of the feathers are of a dusky green, middle parts pale blue, tips black: the legs are short, and of a dull yellow. It is common in some parts of Germany, but is rarely seen in England, and

is the only one of the Roller tribe which is known in Europe. From the chattering noise which it makes it has the name of the Garrulous Roller. The Chinese, the Cayenne, and the Abyssinian species are distinguished by their brilliant plumage.

THE STARLING.

THIS bird is somewhat less than nine inches in length. His bill is straight, sharp pointed, and of a yellowish brown-in old birds deep yellow; the nostrils are surrounded by a prominent rim; the eyes are brown; the whole plumage is dark, glossed with green, blue, purple, and copper, but each feather is marked at the end with a pale yellow spot; the wing coverts are edged with yellowish brown; the quill and tail feathers dusky, with light edges; the legs are of reddish brown. In the hen, the tips of the breast and belly feathers, to the very throat, are white.

Few birds are more generally known than this, it being an inhabitant of almost every climate; and as it is easily trained in a state of captivity, its habits have been more frequently observed than those of most other birds. So fond is it of society, that it will join not only its own kind, but will also associ