NUTCRACKER. 



587 



from the sparingly marked eggs of that bird by their never having the 

 spots so rich and deep in colour. 



The general colour of both the upper and underparts of the Nutcracker 

 is chocolate-brown, thickly spotted, except on the crown and nape, with 

 white (these spots are largest on the breast and least developed on the 

 rump) ; the under tail-coverts are pure white; the wings are black glossed 

 with greeuj some of the secondaries being tipped with white ; the tail is 

 rich black, tlie two central feathers narrowly and the others broadly tipped 

 with white ; the white on the tail-feathers varies considerably in extent. 

 Bill brownish black; legs, toes, and claws black; irides brown. The 

 female is similar in colour to the male. Young birds resemble their 

 parents ; but the brown parts are duskier^ and the white parts are not so 

 pure. 



