PODOCESNUCIFRAGA 409 



582. BROWN GROUND-CHOUGH. 

 PODOCES HUMILIS. 



Podoces humilis, Hume, Ibis, 1871, p. 408 ; id. Lab. to Yark. p. 247, 

 pi. 23 ; Gould, B. of Asia, v. pi. 63 ; Sbarpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. 

 p. 152. 



Zungak, Turki. 



<$ ad. (Yarkand). Crown, nape, and upper surface of the body, and 

 wings pale brown ; lores blackisb hind neck, sides of head below the 

 eye, throat, and under parts white slightly tinged with isabelline on the 

 sides of the neck and flanks ; middle tail-feathers blackish brown with 

 warm brown margins, rest of the tail-feathers pure white ; bill and legs 

 black ; iris brown. Culm en 0*9, wing 3*8, tail 2-9, tarsus T2 inch. Sexes 

 alike. 



Hob. Yarkand, Kan-su, and Tibet. 



Frequents grassy downs at an altitude of about 1,100 feet, 

 and does not appear to collect in flocks. Although chiefly a 

 ground bird it is often seen perched on twigs or bushes. It 

 feeds on worms and insects, never on grain or seeds. It breeds 

 in June or July, making its nest in holes on the hill sides, but 

 its eggs are as yet undescribed. 



NUCIFRAGA, Briss., 1760. 



583. NUTCRACKER. 

 NUCIFRAGA CARYOCATACTES. 



Nucifraga caryocatactes (Linn.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 157 (1766) ; (Naum.) ii. 

 p. 130, Taf. 58, fig. 2 ; Gould, B. of E. iii. pi. 213 ; id. B. of Gt. 

 Brit. iii. pis. 65, 66 ; Newton, ii. p. 330 ; -Dresser, iv. p. 451, pi. 252 ; 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. iii. p. 53 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 540 ; 

 Saunders, p. 233 ; (Lilford), ii. p. 62, pi. 27. 



Casse-noix, French ; Nocciolaja, Ital. ; Noterikraker, Dutch ; 

 Nussheker, Nussknacker, German ; Noddekrige, Dan. ; Noddekrage, 

 Norweg. ; Notkrdka, Swed. ; Pahkinahakinen, Finn. ; Kedrovka, 

 Russ. ; Hoshi-garasu, Jap. 



ad. (Sweden). Blackish chocolate with profuse white tear-shaped spots, 

 crown and nape unspotted ; under tail-coverts pure white ; wings and tail 

 glossy black, the former slightly spotted with white at the tips of the 

 feathers, the latter tipped with white ; beak and legs black ; iris brown. 

 Culmen 2'2, wing 7'75, tail 5*5, tarsus T85 inch. Sexes alike. The 

 young bird is much duller in colour and the feathers are loose in texture. 



