THE MAGPIE AS A TWISTER.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 14, 22 August 1911, Page 2

THE MAGPIE AS A TWISTER.

During an interesting lecture on ! "Australian Birds" given by Mr T. '< Harrison in the Presbyterian Church, 1 Neutral Bay, he referred to the my* i terious instinct birds possess, shown'ii • tho manner of constructing their ne»W and adapting them to the appearance or structure of the trees or shrubs that 1 supported them. In connection with J the magpie type inhabiting southern i New South Wales and Victoria Mr Hir-! rison told a story. This bird is accui. < tomed to build its nest of scraps of 3 fencing wire, which it twists around any available support. Recently the -i postal officials at Geelong were much ] worried by the strange movements of ] telegraphic messages. Some went inj tai opposite direction to where sent, I others returned to the starting st*. I tions, and many did not arrive at all. 1 A repairing gang was sent out to in- ] vestigate, and after much searching! they found that a magpie had used i \ telegraph pole as a support for its neit • of fencing wire, which was wound around the telegraph wires, tying then together. j