582 NUCIFRAGA. NUTCRACKER. 



above with few scutella, beneath padded and granulate. Claws 

 long, slightly arched, much compressed, acute ; the first stronger 

 and more arched, the third about the same length, but much 

 more slender, the fourth smallest and about half the length of 

 the third. 



Plumage soft, rather blended, the feathers generally ovate 

 and rounded. Feathers on the head short ; those at the base 

 of the upper mandible linear, stifRsh, reflected, adpressed. 

 Wings of moderate length, much rounded ; the primary quills 

 rather narrow and decurved towards the end ; the first very 

 short, the fourth longest, the fifth scarcely shorter ; the second- 

 ary ten, long, rather broad, rounded w^ith an acumen. Tail of 

 moderate length, nearly even, of twelve broad, rounded feathers. 



The Nutcracker, Nucifraga Caryocatactes, forms the transi- 

 tion from the Crows to the Starlings, and as M. Temminck 

 thinks to the Woodpeckers, some of which it certainly resem- 

 bles in the form of its bill, of which however the point is not 

 compressed as in that family, but depressed as in the Starlings. 

 Its feet are similar to those of the Crows, and still more of the 

 Jays and Starlings, but are not more adapted for climbing than 

 those of the last-mentioned families, although M. Temminck 

 states that its habits greatly resemble those of the Woodpeckers. 

 With the other species I am not acquainted. In the form of 

 the bill, the genus Coracias apj^roaches to this, as well as to 

 Corvus ; but the tarsi are not more than half the length of those 

 of Nucifraga, the hind toe is much shorter than the second and 

 fourth, and the wing has a different form. 



