THE XUTCEACKEB. 99 



" Proud of cerulean strains, 

 From heaven's unsullied arch purloined, the Jay 

 Screams hoarse." 



14. THE NUTCRACKER. 

 Corvus Caryocatactes, LIN. Casse noix, BUF. Der Tannentieher, BECH. 



Description. This bird is about the size of the last men- 

 tioned, being twelve inches in length. Of this the tail, half of 

 which is covered by the folded wings, measures four inches and 

 three quarters. The beak is one inch and a half long, straight, 

 compressed at the sides, and at the end curved, and black. The 

 iris is nut-brown, the feet black, and one inch and three 

 quarters in height. In general appearance it is speckled, like 

 the Starling. The body is dark brown, lighter on the upper 

 part ; the head, neck, and rump, uniform in colour. There is 

 a white spot in front of the eyes, and on the cheeks and sides 

 of the neck a number of oval spots of the same colour. The 

 spots on the back are larger, and may even be called stripes. 

 On the breast the spots are frequent, large, and oval ; on the 

 belly less numerous, but larger still, and almost triangular. 

 The upper tail coverts are black, the lower white ; the wing 

 coverts blackish, the lesser ones tipped with white. The pen 

 and tail feathers are both black, the latter having white points. 



The brown plumage of the female has a redder tinge than 

 that of the male. 



Habitat. In a state of nature, this bird inhabits the 

 thickest woods ; especially if including coniferous as well as 

 other trees, and being not far from meadows and springs. In 

 October, it generally migrates to districts where acorns, beech - 

 mast, and hazel-nuts are to be found ; and in winter may be 

 seen even on the roads, seeking for food among the horse-dung. 



Food. In a wild state the Nutcracker easily extracts the 

 seeds from the fir-cones, and breaks open acorns and beech- 

 mast, and cracks nuts by means of its strong bill. It eats also 

 all kinds of berries, but prefers whatever animal food it can 

 get, insects or otherwise. 



In confinement, it may be treated and fed like the Jay ; it is 

 easier to tame, and sooner becomes accustomed to whatever 

 food may be given it. It will eat grain, but prefers animal 

 food ; and if a live Jay were put into its cage, it would be 

 killed and devoured in a quarter of an hour. It will even eat 



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