Salt Lake Tribune | 1916-12-03 | Page 26 | Winged Theif is Ingenious Nest and Eggs worth $125

WINGED THEIF IS INGENIOUS Inest AND EGGS WORTH $125 i . , COZY home of Clark's crow, or nutcracker, commonly i known among sportsmen of the mountains as the camp ! robber. ' 1 t- 1. 1 L t It "Iff ,1 f ! a....wf-mn.ly.rfriJ.4,rmrlrjr.-. - ''n'l.ir - i-.i i n.niin "j Bird Builds on the Outer Branches of Needle Pines for Sake of Safety. Ey HARRY ALDOUS. JT was the Lewis and Clark expedition expedi-tion on tho trail to Oregon that first discovered the liocky mountain moun-tain bird that was consequently called Clark's crow, whose ncM: and CKS are shown herewith. Later the hunters in tliR mountains coiu-hiiled that thieving thiev-ing tendencies jus! ified the name 01 L-aiiip robber, all houh si-ientisfs had bestowed tlir dignified cnuomen, Nuci-i Nuci-i i'rapa oaryocatactcs. J n Ljiirope the bird is lauiwn as the mil cracker. Whiio the birds are common in the mountains of Utah the eggs are very rare. Five sets only arc known to have been secured. On this account a nest and four eggs are valued by collectors at $12.). The birds nest in tall pine trees on the tops of high mountains in the month of February, when it is impossible to reach them unless one has a camping outfit, and then the grief In bo encountered is discouraging, to say the least. The nest is placed on an outer branch of the pine, which, is always so thick with prickly pine needles that the bird's home cannot be seen from the ground. One has to watch tho bird as it flits about the tree in search of pine uuts, which constitute its food during the winter months. Both mule and female take turns in the task of in cabal ion, and the eggs aro never left exposedj as one bi rd takes the other 's place immediately. They are such close setters that the bird on the nest can always be taken with the hand. The birds are black and gray in color, and about one-third larger than our robin in size. During tho breeding season, which lasts from tlie latter part of January to April, these strangs birds never make any sound and do no other thing to betray their whereabouts. The eggs average in size about one and one-quarter one-quarter inches long .by about three-fourths three-fourths of an inch broad. In color they are gray, with a pale greenish cast, and are spotted witli dark gray, light brown and lilac shell markings. They resemble resem-ble the eggs of the common magpie, except ex-cept that they are not so long or heavily spotted.