THE NUTCRACKER. '45 



The food of the Nutcracker consists of insects of all kinds and their larvae, 

 the larger dung-beetles having been found in its stomach, as well as many other 

 species of different Orders, seeds of conifers, nuts, acorns, berries, etc. It is 

 probable that it also devours the eggs and newly hatched young of other birds. 



Seebohm mentions two notes : the first, which he considers to be the call- 

 note, is a sort of plaintive kray, kray ; the other, which he thinks is the alarm-note 

 is a loud grating kr-kr-kr. 



The following notes respecting the Nutcracker in captivity have been kindly 

 forwarded to me by the Rev. H. A. Macpherson, who has, from its commencement, 

 taken the greatest interest in the success of the present work : 



" It was early in the year 1893 that a pair of Nutcrackers entered my 

 possession. I understood that the London dealer from whom I purchased them 

 had received them from Hungary. They were in fine condition, and I placed 

 them in an out-door aviary. The plumage of these birds was identical, but the 

 male was a finer and larger bird than his companion. Their lively movements 

 recalled my observations of this species in the Bernese Oberland. All their actions 

 were sprightly and animated. The agility with which the Nutcracker hops from 

 one branch of pine to another resembles the action of the Common Jay. These 

 tame birds lived upon Spanish nuts. We usually broke the nuts open for them, 

 but they could perform the task for themselves. The Nutcracker first inserts a 

 nut into a suitable crevice, and then breaks it with repeated blows of the bill. 

 The nut is then shelled, and the kernel is swallowed, the outside being allowed 

 to fall to the ground. 



The male bird seemed to tyrannize over his mate, at least he gave her many 

 sly pecks which she accepted as a matter of course. They differed occasionally 

 about the possession of a nut, for the cock often tried to rob his mate, and she 

 made every endeavour to retain her tit-bit, squeaking in a low key. It was on 

 the i gth of February that I first saw the male Nutcracker feeding his mate : she 

 fluttered her wings all the time, and cried as a young bird might have done. 

 Thereafter the relations of these birds became most intimate. I tried my best to 

 induce them to nest in the aviary, but they could not make up their minds to 

 breed in confinement. 



Unfortunately, my health broke down completely in the spring of 1893 : I 

 was obliged to leave my birds to the care of a friend. When I returned to duty 

 in the following September I found my birds newly dead, to my great regret. 

 The female had died from moulting troubles. It was thought that her faithful 

 mate had died of grief, as he pined away from the day of her decease. 



The late Lord Lilford informed me in 1893, that he had kept a number of 



VOL. ii. 2 A 



