obsei'ved in Switzerland. 173 



stem, and about 15 feet from the ground. In April, a long 

 and fatiguing search with M. Nicoud for another nest was 

 in vain. When courting, and even when building, the birds 

 are very noisy, but as soon as incubation begins they become 

 silent, shy, and stealthy in their movements ; so that it seemed 

 like looking for the proverbial needle to search for a nest in 

 the miles of thick firs. However, having been taught where 

 to look and where it was no use looking, I found a nest on 

 Chaumont ; but, alas ! the birds had flown. Before visiting 

 the Jura I was under the impression that the Nutcracker 

 was common in that range, but my experience now is that 

 the bird is not numerically abundant there at all. It is true 

 that a good many nests have been obtained in the chain, 

 from Neuchatel to Soleure ; but that is owing to the fact that 

 forests in the Jura are less encumbered with snow than in 

 the Alps, and also that several persons are on the look-out for 

 them there. The Val d'Anniviers, opposite Sierre, in the 

 Valais, is said to be a good place for Nutcrackers ; but whether 

 it is workable in March is another matter. Nests with eggs 

 and young are in the museums at Coire, St. Gall, and in 

 various private collections. 



It was in the Prattigau that the best opportunity presented 

 itself for observing the ways of the Nutcracker. Between 

 September 14th and 18th this species was quite common 

 among the hazel-bushes ; and the top of a low wall, within 

 five minutes walk above the village where I was staying, was 

 a favourite anvil on which to hammer the nuts, their shells 

 lying thick on it. Every few minutes a bird might be seen 

 flitting along the hillside — its widely-spread tail-feathers dis- 

 playing the white spots on their tips — with a somewhat 

 dipping flight, less laboured than that of the Jay. Often, 

 alighting on a sloping patch of sward, the Nutcracker would 

 draw itself up till its neck seemed unnaturally elongated, 

 then give a few skips, and, taking a short flight, make a 

 furious attack on a bush, tearing oft' a whole cluster of nuts. 

 This was sometimes rejected, after a comically critical exami- 

 nation, and another cluster would be torn off ; after which 

 the bird would fly up to some tolerably wide branch of a fir, 



SER. VI. VOL. 111. o 



