Māg'pie, n.

noun

n. [O. & Prov. Eng. magot-pie, maggoty pie, magatipie, magga-tapie, magit, maggy, from Mag, Maggot, equivalent to Meg, Maggie, equivalent to Margery, Margary, Margaret, and pie; Fr. Margot, old dim. of Marguerite, and common name of the magpie. Cf. TOMTIT and JACK-DAW.] (Ornith.) A bird of the genus Pica (P. caudata), allied to the crow, but smaller, and snowy white below. It is noisy and mischievous, and may be taught to speak. It is common in Europe. The American magpie is the P. Hudsonica. The yellow-billed (P. Nuttalli) is the Californian species.

An illustration of a magpie standing on the ground with its long tail raised behind it. — Magpie (*Pica caudata*).