Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

   Note: The common European magpie ({Pica pica}, or {P.
         caudata}) is a black and white noisy and mischievous
         bird. It can be taught to speak. The American magpie
         ({P. Hudsonica}) is very similar. The yellow-belled
         magpie ({P. 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}).

   {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.