File:James Sheridan Knowles, after a portrait by T Wageman.jpg

Identifier: cabinetirishlitwo00read (find matches)
Title: The cabinet of Irish literature; selections from the works of the chief poet, orators, and prose writers of Ireland
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Read, Charles A. (Charles Anderson), 1841-1878 Tynan, Katharine, 1861-1931 O'Connor, T. P. (Thomas Power), 1848-1929
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Publisher: London : The Gresham Publishing Company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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the guU took its de-parture, and then the magpie flew along thebank with some whitish-coloured object in itsbill. The gull returned and played the samepart over again, as the magpie likewise did;the object of the latter, from the commence-ment, being evidently to conceal itself fromthe gulls observation. On seeing the food inthe magpies bill I had no doubt of its beingthe gulls prey, which having been accidentallydropped, was carried off by the magpie, whosethievish cunning it was amusing to witness,though I pitied tlie honest sea-bird for beingthus gulled. Magpies are so bold as apparently, throughmere wantonness, to persecute birds that wouldseem to be more than a match for them: thebeautiful kestrel or windhover they occasion-ally annoy. Towards the peregrine falconthey dare hardly show any imjiertinence, butthe curiosity which I once saw exhibited by apair of them towards a bird of tliis specieswas highly amusing. A trained falcon atFoi-t William, near Belfast, on being given its
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JAMHS SHHRIDAN KNOWLhS Af/crthc Port rait by T. WAG EM AN JAMES SHERIDAN KNOWLES. 269 liberty, alighted, after taking a few circuitsthrough the air, in a small tree, where firstone, and then another magpie, likewise perched,without exhibiting the least fear, and withthe intention only, to all appearance, of exam-ining it more closely. They gradually ap-proached until almost touching the hawk; oneindeed seemed to strike it, immediately afterwhich they both flew to a tree close by, andcommenced an incessant chattering. This wascontinued so earnestly for some time that itcould be nothing less than a discussion uponthe merits of the strange bird. When in thetree with the hawk they maintained a respect-ful silence. At the same place a tame magpieand a sheep of a peculiar variety, whose fleeceliving nearly to the ground, were great friends,and generally associated together. The fav-ouiite perch of the bird was on the back of the sheep, which animal became innocently areceiver of stolen good

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