338 



NUTCRACKER. 



land, interspersed with rocks and woods. We have seen in Scotland 

 eight or ten on the wing together, in the dusk of the evening, skim- 

 ming over the surface of the ground in all directions, like the swallow, 

 in pursuit of insects, generally with its mouth fully extended ; and 

 as the bristles lining the edge of the upper mandible are capable of 

 diverging or contracting by means of muscles attached to their roots, 

 these also assist greatly in the capture and detention of its prey. 



NIGHT RAVEN.— A name for the Night Heron. 



NOPE.— A name for the Bullfinch. 



NORIE. — A name for the Cormorant. 



NORTHERN DIVER.— A name for the Loon. 



NORTHERN DOUCKER.— A name for the Loon. 



NORTHERN FALCON.— A name for the Ash-coloured Falcon. 



NUCIFRAGA (Brisson.) — * A genus thus characterised. Bill 

 long and straight, the upper mandible rounded, and longer than the 

 lower one, both of them terminating in a slightly obtuse and depressed 

 point. Nostrils in the base of the bill round, open, and covered by the 

 reflected frontal bristles. Wings rather acuminated; the first quill short; 

 the fourth being the longest in the wing. Shank longer than the mid- 

 dle toe. Feet with three toes before, and one behind. The outer toe 

 joined to the middle one at its base. * 



NUTCRACKER. — A genus of birds (Nucifraga, Brisson.) 



NUTCRACKER (JVucifraga Caryocatactes, Brisson.) 



*Nucifraga caryocatactes, Briss. 2. p. 59. t. 5. f. 6. — Temm.Man. d'Orn.l.p. 117. 

 — Corvus caryocatactes, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 157. 10 — Faun. Suec. No. 91. — 



Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 270 Lath. Ind. Orn. 1. p. 164. t. 39.— Rail, Syn. p. 42. 5. 



— Will. p. 90. t. 20 Caryocatactes nucifraga, Nils. Orn. Suec. 1. p. 90. sp. 



42 Le Casse noix, Buff. Ois. 3. p. 122. t. 9 lb. pi. Enl. 50 Nussrabe, 



Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 1. p. 103.— Nutcracker, Br. Zool. App. t. 1 Arct. 



Zool. 2. p. 252. D. — Will. (Angl.) p. 132. t. 20 Lewin's Br. Birds, t. 40 



Lath. Syn. 1. p. 400. 38 lb. Supp. p. 82 Mont. Orn. Diet lb. Supp 



Bewick's Br. Birds.— Wale. Syn. 1. t. 36.— Don. Br. Birds, 4. t. 80.— Flem. Br. 



Anim. p. 88. — Nutcracking Crow, Shaw's Zool. 7. p. 353 Selby, pi. 33. p. 



84.* 



This species is about the size of a magpie ; length thirteen inches. 

 The bill is two inches long, nearly straight, and black ; irides hazel. 

 The feathers that reflect over the nostrils are bordered with brown; 

 upper part of the head and nape of the neck black ; the general colour 

 of the plumage rusty brown, marked with triangular white spots, 

 which are larger on the under parts ; the vent white ; quills and tail 

 black, the last tipped with white ; legs black. 



These birds are said to vary in size; and a variety is mentioned, spotted 

 black and white. It is a rare species in England ; four or five instances 



