May 10—This is the further story of Maggie's family this year. To begin with, I must say that many friends have asked me if the present Maggie is a new wife (as I indicated some time ago): 1 can only reply that the marital relations of some of our local birds are well up to the Hollywood standard, and I have to guess as well as I can who is married to whom...and why and when. I have, however. a strong feeling that the slim, streamlined stranger I saw in company with "Father" some time ago was only a country cousin making a call and that my Original Maggie is still the {MW wife there is no doubt that Magpies mate for life... and the present mistress of my poplar-tree nest runs so true to type). A few days ago I said ihat her new family consisted of two only (Chow-ehqw and Mustard) but she as usual, produced a third fully-fledged youngster some days after the others. My wife said this one should be called Piccallilli (which would indeed, have been a splendid name for the smellest of the family)...but, alas, I cannot accept it because Maggie has herself already named the youngster: she calls it "Wizzik" and with all due respect to Mr. Heinz I must accept the name. Every morning when feeding-time the two original babies come down out trees and beg for food: but they ere big and strong enough to feed for: themselves, so Maggie passes them by with a swish of, her tail and takes the food up into the poplar tree calling, "Wizzik-wizzik-wizzik." The wretched Wizzik comes down from the nest with beak agape and wings fluttering...and is duly fed.
it is one of the greatest laws of nature you cannot stop a mother from feeding the weakest youngster. While all this goes on Father says nothing...but is always standing by to fight off the belligerent Blackbirds, A strong silent man.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.