magpies

• “In West Australia Somers could sit in the bush and talk to the flocks of big, handsome, black – and – white birds that they call magpies, but which are a sort of butcher bird, apparently.”

  Kangaroo

• “From the river St. John we went to four islands, on one of which we landed, and found great numbers of birds called magpies, [82] of which we captured many small ones, which are as good as pigeons.”

  Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 02

• “Kids who have learned the correct lessons from Viva Pinata will give their kitten a name, a humorous hat, and a house, and then make it mercilessly breed non-stop with other kittens in order to produce kitten-babies that can be fed to other, more valuable animals, such as magpies or crocodiles, so as to invite these crocodiles and suchlike to live in your garden.”

  Archive 2007-11-01

• “It would appear that the birds of this archipelago, not having as yet learnt that man is a more dangerous animal than the tortoise or the Amblyrhynchus, disregard him, in the same manner as in England shy birds, such as magpies, disregard the cows and horses grazing in our fields.”

  Journal of researches into the geology and natural history of the various countries visited by H.M.S. Beagle

• “At dinner the two "magpies," as Uncle Joe had nicknamed them, were mute.”

  Blue Bonnet's Ranch Party

• “To use Chaudhuri's analogy, market-driven knowledge may serve the needs of "magpies" in search of "shiny bric-a-brac".”

  The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) - Frontpage

• “Made up of small tesserae - tiny tiles - of different materials, which include colored stones, glass cameos and golden leaves, the intricate mosaic floor features geometric designs of circles and squares with little figures of dancers, flowers and birds such as magpies and peacocks.”

  WordPress.com News

• “Once upon a time, many predators and scavengers - such as magpies and crows - died in winter through lack of food.”

  Home | Mail Online

• “The stick was used to poke or drive away smaller birds, such as magpies, crows, and ravens, which might alight on the roof of the pit, and try to feed on the bait.”

  Blackfoot Lodge Tales

• “This family returned year after year to bicker, squawk, build nests and raise baby magpies.”

  Simon & Schuster: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks Dad

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