302 THE MAGPIE. 



The nest of this species is made at the extremity of a long tunnel cut in the wood of some 

 decaying tree, and either originally dug by the bird, with the express object of making a 

 resting-place for its eggs, or altered and adapted from an already existing hole. In this 

 respect, as well as in other habits, the Nut-cracker bears some resemblance to the woodpeckers. 

 The eggs are said to be from five to six in number, and grayish-yellow in color, spotted 

 with a darker hue. The bird seems to require a large supply of nourishment ; and although 

 it cannot be ranked among the true migrators, it can range over a large extent of country in 

 search of food, being instinctively able to discover the localities where its wants can be best 

 supplied. 



The coloring of this bird is peculiar, and rather complicated. The crown of the head is 

 deep brown, and the space between the beak and the eye is grayish-white. The back, the 

 sides of the head, the scapularies, the wing-coverts, and the whole of the under surface of the 

 body are of a warm brown, covered thickly with elongated white spots, caused by the white 

 tips with which each feather is furnished. The throat and chin take a darker hue, but 

 are still marked with the conspicuous white spots.- The wings and upper tail-coverts are dariv 

 black-brown, the black being less marked at the extremities of the feathers. The tail is mostly 

 blackish-brown, diversified with white, the two central feathers being totally dark, and the 

 remainder taking more white as they approach the two external feathers. The under surface 

 of the tail is light gray-brown. The total length of the Nutcracker is about thirteen or 

 fourteen inches. 



AMERICA possesses a very pretty example of this genus in the CLARK'S NUT-CRACKER 

 (Pidconus columbianus). 



This bird is notable for the diversified beauty of its plumage, and for the extremely 

 formidable- claws with which it is armed ; the latter peculiarity leading to the idea that 

 the bird preys on various living animals, after the manner of the fish crow. It frequents the 

 rivers and sea-shore in considerable numbers, assembling in flocks, like the rook of Europe, 

 and pouncing continually upon various substances which it immediately swallows. It is a 

 very noisy as well as gregarious bird, chattering continually while feeding. 



The wings, the two central tail-feathers, and several of the remaining feathers of the tail 

 are deep glossy blue-black, and the secondaries are also black, but are marked with a large 

 patch of white. The head, neck, and greater part of the body is light fawn, changing to a 

 pearly gray upon the breast and abdomen. The total length of this bird is about thirteen 

 inches. 



Clark's Crow is like the Jackdaw of Europe. It inhabits the region between the Rocky 

 Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Its color is quite unlike the typical crow, being a light 

 slate color and white. In some localities it is called Nut-cracker. 



MAXIMILIAN'S JAY, or NUT-CRACKER (Grymnocitta cyanocepJiald). A species first discov- 

 ered by the Prince Maximilian, of Niew Wied. It inhabits the Rocky Mountains, and the 

 cascades of California and Oregon. Its color is much like the typical coloration of the Jays ; 

 though in this case the blue is very pale. 



WHO does not know the MAGPIE, the pert, the gay, the mischievous ? What denizen of the 

 oountry is not familiar with his many exploits in the way of barefaced and audacious theft, 

 his dipping flight, and his ingenuity in baffling the devices of the fowler and the gunner ? 

 What inhabitant of the town has not seen him cooped in his wicker dwelling, dull and 

 begrimed with the daily smoke, but yet pert as ever ; talkative, and a wonderful admirer of 

 his dingy plumage and ragged tail ? 



The Magpie is found in very many parts of the world, always keeping to well-wooded dis- 

 tricts, as if distrusting its power of flight in the open country ; for the larger hawks are prone to 

 fly at the Magpie, which has but little chance of escape upon the plain, but can always evade his 

 foe among hedge-rows and plantations by slipping among the branches and dodging through the 

 foliage. Even a trained falcon fails to catch a Magpie when it has once reached such an asylum, 



