22 



Nucifraga caryocatactes (L.). Dresser, Birds of Europe, IV, p. 451; 

 Newton, ed. Yarrell, 11, p. 330; Saunders, Manual, p. 233; Dresser, Man. 

 Pal. Birds, p. 409. N. caryocatactes caryocatactes (L.). Hartert, Vog. Pal. 

 Fauna, p. 25. 



Breeding Range: Norway, Sweden, Gothland, Bornholm, S.W.Finland, 

 the Russian Baltic Provinces, Poland, Germany (East Prussia, Harz, Schwarz 

 and Bohmer Wald, probably also Thiiringer Wald), Jura and the whole 

 Alpine district, including the French, Swiss, Austrian and Italian Alps, 

 Austro-Hungary (Lilienfeld district, Tatra, Carpathian Mts., Transylvania, 

 Styria, Bosnia, etc.). 



In Norway the Nutcracker inhabits the forests up to about lat. 64^/2° N. 

 but is nowhere numerous, while it has been found breeding in Sweden 

 in Gotarike and Svearike. In Bornholm nests were found in 1862 — 3, and 

 in March 1864 three nests with fresh eggs were taken {Proc. Zool. 80c. 

 1867, p. 163). It occurs in S. W. Finland, and has probably bred near 

 Abo, while nests have also been taken at Raumo (61°) and Forssa, as well 

 as on Aland (Wasenius). In East Prussia Hartert found nests in 1882 and 

 1884, and one is said to have been found in Pomerania in 1860. Schiitt 

 obtained three nests on the Kandel Berg in the Schwarz Wald and others 

 have been taken there subsequently; while in 1868 eggs were obtained in 

 Anhalt (Harz), where it still breeds. In Austro-Hungary a nest with young 

 is said to have been found on the Hollgebirge in 1858, and on the Hochanger 

 Alp eggs have been taken from 1867 onwards. Five nests were obtained 

 in the Tyrol by Franz in 1864 and Pfanni took eggs in the highlands of 

 Lilienfeld in 1887. Perhaps the first nest seen by any naturalist was an 

 empty one found by Thienemann on the Riesen-Gebirge, but the bird has 

 not been found there since. In Transylvania it is common on the higher 

 mountain ranges, descending in autumn. Of late years large numbers of 

 eggs have been taken in Bosnia, in the neighbourhood of Sarajevo, and 

 according to Reiser {Orn. Bale. II, p. 86) it is common in the pine-forests 

 of the Rilo planina and has been observed in the Rhodope Mountains, on 

 the borders of Bulgaria and Rumelia. In the Alpine valleys it is generally 

 distributed and fairly common up to the forest limit, as a rule from about 

 3000 to 6000 ft. in summer, but sometimes as low as 2100 ft. in some 

 parts of Valais, and on the other hand up to 7500 ft. in the Haute Engadine 

 (Fatio). It is also found more or less commonly in the Jura and in the 

 Departements on the Italian and Swiss borders of France, whence the Abbe 

 Caire obtained the first authenticated eggs in 1846. It has been observed 

 in spring in the subalpine valleys of Piedmont, Venetia and North Lombardy 

 and no doubt breeds there. It was formerly supposed to occur in the 

 Pyrenees, but has not been observed by Messrs. Saunders, Backhouse, Clarke 

 or Wallis, and proof of its breeding there is still wanting. 



