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78 THE CONDOR V,,I. IV Vocal Powers of the Yellow-billed Magpie. BY H. R. NOACK? M Y acquaintance with the yellow- b31ed magpie (Pica nuttalli) be- gan eight years ago while was visiting near Wheatlaml in Placer County, and through the medium of two members of the family has continued from that time to the present day with a constantly growing feeling of friend- ship and an unconccaled admiration for the intelligence, good nature, and native good humor hidden beneath their little coats of black and white. It was on June 3, ?895, that I was riding horseback t.hrough a grove of white oaks with my eyes open for any- thing that might turn up, when I noticed- a magpie's nest about thirty feet up, and well out toward the end of the limb. After a rather hard climb came within four feet of the nest, and was pretty well aware by that time that it was inhabited, judging by the vocif- erous cries of two old birds wlm came swooping down uncomfortably near my head. A good sharp shake of the branch its which the nest was located, brought forth a screaming cloud of young, fairly well featherod, and in fact just old enough not to venture from the nest unless disturbed, but about the right age to consider seriously the de- sirability of tryb, g a short flight. counted seven young birds, and after considerable scrambling captured one and forced two more down to the grass below, where they were easily taken. After getting them home and safely caged I found that instead of being at an end my troubles had only begun, for whenever I came within sight three big, red, gaping mouths opened automati- cally and spelled in words that could not be misunderstood--"Grasshoppers-- more grasshoppers." The remainder of my vacation was given over to the care of my charges, ahd they responded so well that one died during the fikst week but the remaining two grew fat and were not contented out of my sight. OAKLAND, CAL. Upon returning h-me in July a large wire cage with plenty of flying room was provided, more as a precaution against cats than as a preventative of escape, and the two magpies, John Henry and Hattie, settled down to civil- ized life. I had heard a good deal said and had read acconnts of the talking qnahties of crows, ravens and magpies, but scarcely believed that thi? native magpies of our stnte would develop this power. However, I was very agreeably surprised and much amused one morn- ing about three months after the cap- ture of the magpies to be greeted by John Henry with the words "come on." He had learned his first words by hear- ing them nsed during feeding time. He used this phrase daily for several months and later added his own name and said, "Come on John." From the time of learning his first words he learned new expressions very rapidly, and without any effort on my part to teach him. After hearing "Come on John,"he began calling my name "t-larry" which has always been his f.qvorite utterance, and is pronounced in an endless variety of tones frons a shrill treble voice to a deep gutteral expression scorning to emanate from far down in the throat. After "Harry" he learned "Hattie," the name of his mate, and "Helen," the name of one of my sisters. The family living next door had a very lively member in the person of a son named George, and his mother's calls soon taught John Henry to call "Georg-ie" with so much facility that Georgie would come running to see what was wanted. Our stable is within fifty feet of the magpie's cage and my brother, who was acting as hostler, was often ab.ut ready to swear when hitching upor curtying the horse, when John Henry would cluck to the horse, "ok ck ck," and then say, "Get up, Peter, get up, get up," following immediately with "Whoa b? y,