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TIIF. AM.'INE CROW." 



The Chocards, f as they arc called in France, have the compressed, arched, and sloped 

 beak of the blackbirds, but their nostrils are covered with feathers like those of the crows, 

 to which they have been annexed. 8uch is the Alpine chocard. Its hue is black, with the 

 beak yellow, the feet at lirst brown, then yellow, and in the adidt state red. It builds 

 in the clefts of rocks of the higher mountains, from whence these birds descend in large 

 flocks into the valleys. They live on insects, snails, and fruits, and do not disdain carrion. 



In India there is another bird of this kind, the iSicrin, distinguished by their barbless 

 stalks, as long as the body, on each side, among the feathers which cover the ears. 



THE NUTCRACKER CRO^\•.J 



This bird is allied to the true crows in several particulars, but has been separated from 

 the systems of different writers. It is not uncommon in some parts of l^urojie, but very 

 rarely visits England. Pennant remarks that the specimen from which he took his 

 description was the only one he ever heard of that was shot in these kingdoms. 



Montao-ue mentions another that was killed in Kent. He adds, " IMr. Anstice assures 

 us he saw one of this rare sj^ecies near Bridgewater, upon a Scotch fir, in the autumn of 

 1805. This accurate observer of nature could not be deceived, as he examined the bird, 

 and attended to its actions for some time, with the aid of a pocket telescope, which he 

 usually carried with him for sunilar purposes. In August, 1808, one of these birds was 

 shot in the north of Devon. Another is stated to have been sliot, ibniiig the same year, 

 in Cornwall. 



The mitcracker is said to lay up a store of acorns and nuts for winler ; but (lie 

 statement may bo doubled, as only animals wlui become torpid in cold woatlier require 

 such a pi'ovision. Such stores are most probably the collection of dormice, or some .such 

 creatures, which being found, has been plundered by this biid. The same faculty is 

 attributed to the jay and the Tiuthatch ; but thoy only rob the granary of mice, who 

 frequently deposit their winter store in the hollow of a tree, such as beans, peas, corn, 

 nuts, and acorns. 



This bird, whose partial food seems to bo the kernels of nuts, most ju'obably breaks the 

 shell in the manner of the nuthatch, by backing a hole in it, or splitting tlicslicll by 

 reiterated strokes of the bill, lor wlii'li thai part seems better adapted than lor cracking- 

 it by compression, as tlie groslieak Wreaks llic stones of the haw, whos(< bill is slimt ami 

 strong, and furnished with nuischs of i)rodigions strength. 



• rynhfcoiax Alpinus. i l\vi ilmconix. J Corvus Curyocatactcs.— rcnii. 



