102 NATURE NOTES. 
Owing to its comparatively large size the bird had difficulty in 
steadying itself on the very slender outside branches which 
it was trying to reach, and consequently it flapped about a 
good deal with its wings in its attempts to balance itself on 
the thin branch to which it clung. At last, seizing its 
opportunity, it pounced on a beech-nut within reach, This 
it grasped with its toes, then deftly pecked once or twice, and 
finally extracted the kernel. All this was clearly seen by 
Mr Walker through his binoculars. Being in such a favour- 
able position he was particularly struck by the rich brown 
colour of its plumage. Though he subsequently heard its 
ery, he never again saw the bird. 
Next day he went to Professor Trail, who, on hearing the 
details I have just given, pronounced the bird to be the 
nutcracker. 
It is interesting to note the account of the bird’s feeding 
habits given by Yarrell (vol. ii. p. 338, Brit. Birds), He 
says :—“ It plucks cones or nuts from the smaller boughs. It 
then repairs to a larger branch, and there holding its booty 
fast to the perch with one foot, skilfully picks out the seeds.” 
In Scotland there are, so far as I am aware, only three 
well-authenticated cases of the occurrence of this bird. One 
at Invergarry in October 1868, and one in Orkney. Both 
those luckless birds were “obtained,” so that there can be 
no doubt as to their genuineness; while a third example 
was, on the reliable authority of Sir Herbert Maxwell, seen 
in Wigtownshire in 1891. This Aberdeen bird was not, I 
am glad to say, shot. In fact, the reason why Mr Walker 
delayed making public its occurrence was his great desire to 
save the nutcracker from the gun of the collector. 
I think there can be little doubt as to the identity of the 
bird. We have— 
1. Its resemblance to a crow. 
2. Its method of shelling nuts. 
3. Its rich brown plumage. 
4. Its note (though to this I do not attach much 
importance, except when taken in conjunction 
with the other three points). 
I only add in conclusion: if it were not a nutcracker, 
what bird could it possibly have been ? H. N. Bonar. 
