- Pica pica
- Magpie Mag"pie, n. [OE. & Prov. E. magot pie, maggoty pie, fr.
Mag, Maggot, equiv. to Margaret, and fr. F. Marquerite, and
common name of the magpie. Marguerite is fr. L. margarita
pearl, Gr. ?, prob. of Eastern origin. See {Pie} magpie, and
cf. the analogous names {Tomtit}, and {Jackdaw}.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of numerous species of the genus {Pica} and related
genera, allied to the jays, but having a long graduated tail.
[1913 Webster]
2. Any one of several black-and-white birds, such as {Gymnorhina tibicen}, not belonging to the genus {Pica}. [PJC]
Note: The common European magpie ({Pica pica}, or {Pica caudata}) is a black and white noisy and mischievous bird. It can be taught to speak. The American magpie ({Pica Hudsonica}) is very similar. The yellow-belled magpie ({Pica Nuttalli}) inhabits California. The blue magpie ({Cyanopolius Cooki}) inhabits Spain. Other allied species are found in Asia. The Tasmanian and Australian magpies are crow shrikes, as the white magpie ({Gymnorhina organicum}), the black magpie ({Strepera fuliginosa}), and the Australian magpie ({Cracticus picatus}). [1913 Webster]
3. A talkative person; a chatterbox. [PJC]
{Magpie lark} (Zo["o]l.), a common Australian bird ({Grallina picata}), conspicuously marked with black and white; -- called also {little magpie}.
{Magpie moth} (Zo["o]l.), a black and white European geometrid moth ({Abraxas grossulariata}); the harlequin moth. Its larva feeds on currant and gooseberry bushes. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
