280 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Genus NUCIFRAGA Brisson. 



Nucifraga Brisson, Orn., ii, 1760, 58. (Type, Currus caryocatades Linnaeus.) 

 Caryocatactes Cuvier, Regne Anim., i, 1817, 399. (Type, Corvus caryocatades 



Linnaeus. ) 

 Picicorvus Bonaparte, Consp. Av., i. May 6, 1850, 384. (Type, Corvus colum- 



hianus "Wilson. ) 



Small Corvinffi (wing' less than 200 mm.) with under tail-coverts and 

 part o"f rectrices white, the bod}" uniform gray, or else brown spotted 

 or streaked with white. 



Bill about as long as head (or a little longer or shorter), very varia- 

 ble as to relative length and thickness, the basal depth from one-third 

 to nearly one-half the length of exposed culmen; basal width of mandi- 

 ble (at malar antia?) about equal to basal depth, but anterior to nostril 

 the bill decidedly compressed; culmen varying- from nearly straight to 

 decidedly convex; gonys also variable, sometimes decidedly convex 

 and ascending terminally, sometimes with terminal portion slightly 

 concave; commissure nearl}" straight or slightly arched. Nostril cir- 

 cular, hidden by well-developed antrorse tufts. Rictal bristles distinct. 

 Wing long, the tip well produced (equal to more than one-fourth to 

 nearly one-third the length of wdng), rounded; tenth primar}" much 

 shorter than secondaries, not more (usually less) than one-half as long 

 as ninth; seventh, seventh and sixth, or sixth primaries longest; inner 

 webs of live outer primaries more or less distinctly sinuated. Tail 

 about three-fifths to two-thirds as long as wing, more or less rounded. 

 Tarsus usually shorter than exposed culmen (slightly longer in 

 iV^. hemispila)\ middle toe, with claw, decidedly shorter than tarsus; 

 lateral toes with claws reaching decidedly bej^ond base of middle claw; 

 hallux about as long as lateral toes, much stouter, its claw nearly as 

 long as digit. 



Coloration. — Under tail-coverts and more or less of lateral rectrices 

 white; wings black, with or without white markings; head, neck, and 

 body brown, streaked or spotted with white, or else plain gray, 

 becoming white on anterior portion of head. 



Nklification. — Nest in coniferous trees, bulk}^, open above, com- 

 posed of dry twigs, strips of thin bark, pine needles, etc. Eggs 

 usually 3, pale greenish, more or less speckled or spotted with brown, 

 gray, etc. 



Range. — Boreal coniferous forests of the Pal^earctic and western 

 portions of Nearctic Regions. (Four species, only one in America.) 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OF NUCIFRAGA. 



a. General color brown, more or less streaked or spotted with white; secondaries not 

 broadly (if at all) tipi^ed with white; lateral rectrices extensively black at base. 



{Palsearelic sj)ecies) 

 aa. General color plain brownish gray; secondaries broadly tipped with white; 

 lateral rectrices white for entire length. (Western North America.) 



Nucifraga columbiana (p. 281) 



