CORVID.E—NUTCRACKER. 117 
ALPINE CHOUGH. 
Pyrrhocorax alpinus oc. 
Adult : Plumage, uniform black ; bill straight, yellow ; legs 
and upper parts of feet coral-red; claws and soles black. 
Length 15°5 inches; culmen 1; wing 10°25; tail 6; tarsus 
aye 
Immature Birds: Duller and browner than adults ; bill 
and legs at first chiefly blackish, then becoming respectively 
yellowish and browner, before assuming the bright yellow and 
coral-red of the adult. 
Distribution: Found in Southern Europe and the higher 
mountainous districts of Central Europe and eastward occurs 
as far as the Himalayas. 
Habitat : Similar to that of /. graculus, but frequenting 
higher mountain regions. 
Genius NUCIFRAGA. 
NUTCRACKER. * 
Nucifraga caryocatactes (Lzv.) 
Adult: Upper and under parts dark brown, and, except on 
the crown, conspicuously covered with white spots, which 
become larger on the breast and abdomen. On the throat they 
appear only in narrow lines ; wings and tail-feathers dark 
brown, shaded with green; all the rectrices except the central 
pair broadly tipped with white; some of primaries with a 
white patch on inner webs ; most of wing-coverts tipped with 
white ; under tail-coverts white ; bill, legs and feet blackish ; 
irides dark brown. Length 12 to 12°75 inches; culmen 2; 
wing 7 to 7°75; tail 5°3 ; tarsus 1°6. 
Immature Birds: Except for being darker brown and 
having dirtier white spots, resemble adults. 
Distribution: Breeds in the mountainous regions of 
Europe as far south as the , Pyrenees. Found eastward to 
Japan. Of casual occurrence in Great Britain. 
Habitat: Elevated forests chiefly of coniferous trees. 
