OF NOKXHUMBERLAJSTD AIs^D DTTEHAM. 39 



structure. A pair or two rear tlieir young in tlie steeple of 

 the Scotch Church in Blackett Street. 



31. COEACIA, Brisson. 



18. Chough. C. geactjxa, (Linn^us.) 



PyrrhoGorax graculus, Bew., Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, I., 89. 

 Fregilus „ Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Bii'ds, Ed. 2, II., 54. 



The Chough must rank as a resident, as it breeds in the rocks 

 between St. Abbs Head and East Castle. 



A specimen in my collection was presented to me by the late 

 Dr. Johnston, of Berwick-upon-Tweed : it was shot at Kedheugh, 

 near the place where it was breeding. 



I am not aware that this species has been captured in our dis- 

 trict ; but, as it breeds so near to JS'orthumberland, it seems only 

 proper to make this allusion to it. 



32. NUCIFKAGA, Brisson. 



19. Ntjtceaceee. N. cahtocatactes, {Linnaus.) 



Nucifraga caryocatactes, Bew., Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed, 1847, 1., 88. 

 YaiT., Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 2, II., 125. 



In Mr. Selby's " Illustrations of British Ornithology," Vol. I., 

 p. 368, it is stated that this rare casual visitant "was seen in 

 I^etherwitton "Wood, N^orthumberland, in the autumn of 1819, 

 by his coadjutor, Captain Eobert Mitford, of the Eoyal ITavy." 

 This species is not included, however, in Mr. Selby's catalogue. 



I kept a specimen of the ISTutcracker in confinement for six 

 years : it was taken on board ship ojff the coast of Eussia, in 

 1847. Its habits were interesting and peculiar. It was put at 

 first into a cage with wooden ends, but in a very short time it 

 was seen with its head through a hole it had made in one of the 

 ends. It was then removed into another cage, but fi'om this it 

 soon released itself, though the cage was composed almost en- 

 tirely of wire : it broke through one of the wooden horizontal 

 bars that held the wires in their places, squeezed itself out 



