1 



NUTCIi ACKER.— ,Yi!ci/;«yii mryocutacUs. 



The nest of this species is made at the extremity of a long tnnnel cut in the 

 wood of some decaying tree, and either originally dug by the bird, with the express 

 object of making a resting-place for its eggs, or altered and adapted from an ali'eady 

 existing hole. In this respect, as well as in other habits, the Nutcracker bears some 

 resemblance to the woodpeckers. The eggs are said to be from five to si.x in number, and 

 greyish yellow in colour, spotted with a darker hue. The bird seems to require a large 

 supply of nourishment ; and although it cannot be ranked among the true migrators, 

 it can range over a large extent of country in search of food, being instinctively able 

 to discover the localities where its wants can be best supplied. 



The colouring of this liird is peculiar, and rather complicated. The crown of the head 

 is deep brown, and the space between the beak and the eye is greyish white. The back, 

 the sides of the head, the scapularies, the wing^coverts, and the whole of the under surface 

 of the body are of a warm brown, covered thickly with elongated white spots, caused by 

 the white tips with which each feather is furnishe(l. The throat and chin take a darker 

 hue, but are still marked with the conspicuous white spots. The wings and upper tail- 

 coverts are dark black-brown, the black being less marked at the extremities of the feathers. 

 The tail is mostly blackish brown, diversified with white, the two central feathers being 

 totally dark, and the remainder taking more white as they approach the two external 

 feathers. The under surface of the tail is light grey-brown. The total length of the 

 Nutcracker is about thirteen or fourteen inches. 



America possesses a very pretty example of this gciuis in the Clark's Nutcracker. 



This bird is notable for the diversified beauty of its plumage, and for the extremely 

 formidaljlc claws with which it is armed ; the latter peculiarity leading to the idea that 

 the bird preys on various living animals, after the manner of the fish crow. It frequents 

 the rivers and sea-shore in considerable numbers, assembling in flocks, like the rook of 

 Europe, and pouncing continually upon various substances which it immediately swallows. 

 It is a very noisy as well as gregarious Ijird, chatteiing continually while feeding. 



The wings, the two central tail-feathers, and several of the remaining feathers of the 

 tail are deep glossy blue-black, and the secondaries arc also black, but are marked with 



