Show r I Magpies Often Arrant ran Rogues o ues Diet Includes Great Number of Injurious Insects Like Grasshoppers Prepared Prepare b by tb the United Stat Slat Department or of Agriculture Magpies found over much of time northwest quarter of Or tile lie United States h have e 1 a bad reputation unions among farmers fruit growers poultry keepers keep keep- ee- ee ers and stockmen Unlike e many birds u with Ii unjustly hail had 1 reputations e 1 the ma magpie g deserves some con con- At times clines it becomes a serious elious pest and In such cases shoot- shoot I in lug or poisoning may be tIm tile the e only rem real edy The magpie has no nu particular aversion to the bitter hitter taste of strychnine strychnine nine nine so for bait this poison u Is f son rec ree- recommended h by the eal survey of f the United States State Dep Department tl of iJA Ag Ag- i Magpies Steal Eggs Magpies pies have ha been beet known to steal egg egge Cl from chicken yards to carry cany to their young joung They sometimes kill chicks s. s They also show great reat partiality partiality par lIar 10 to cherry orchards Pel haps their worst is harrying ing weak or wounded animals and even eyen occasionally occa occa- sound maid and health healthy creatures creatures' The magpie attack is A magpie hn ha has been known to keep perking perk ing and enlarging a 11 wound of an anima animal an an- imal ima finally resulting in death of the animal after da days s 's of suffering On the other hand the magpie often Lc Is beneficial Its diet includes a n groat r at number of injurious Insects In particular particular panic panic- ular grasshoppers and caterpillars in inthe inthe the th spring and grasshoppers el later In Inthe Inthe Inthe the summer and autumn The rhe grain the magpie eats Is largely waste In Inthe inthe inthe the fields Gelds for the bird blvd prefers insects both at planting time and during the time harvest season eason For Tor these reasons ea magpies are useful and should be protected protected pro pro- HO wherever the evil i the they do does not overbalance o their good services Not Hard to Er Eradicate ditc Whenever er it is desirable to eradicate cate cite magpies the task is not difficult for the magpie i is Ic a u year round resident resident resident resi resi- dent and Its elimination In a 11 neighborhood neighborhood neigh neigh- where it Is u H pest does not cause a diminution of nm numbers in areas where conditions make the time ma mapie magpie magpie mag mag- pie pie a good servant to the farmer |