.'332 THK FFATTIFRKD TltlliF.S. 



when, to my astonisliment, I found the birds had not deserted the hole, she having hiid 

 six more eggs since. I took these away, and was obliged to keep them, as I was only 

 able to replace the nest by again thrusting it up in the inside of the tree as before, which 

 I did. I again visited the spot in the following week, and found that they had still 

 pertinaciously adhered to their domicile, having further laid four more eggs. I rej)eated 

 the experiment, but not having an opportunity of visiting the tree until ten days after- 

 wards, I thought at the time that the nest was abandoned, and was not undeceived until 

 I had again withdrawn the nest, having taken the precaution of endeavouring to frighten 

 the old bird off, should she be on the nest, which I found was the case ; she suffered me 

 to pull the nest to the bottom of the tree before she attempted to escape : there were 

 seven eggs, which were slightly sat upon. What appears to me extraordinary is, that 

 the bird shoidd suffer her nest to be disturbed five times, and the eggs (amounting alto- 

 gether to twenty -two) to be taken away at four different periods within the month, 

 before she finally abandoned the spot she had selected." 



Colonel Montagu says that the wryneck makes a noise very like the smaller species of 

 hawks, frequently repeating it in spring. JMr. Yarrell describes the note as a sharp 

 sound, repeated several times, and not unlike the whistle of a kestrel. 



In captivity the wr^^leck is a fiivourite ; and the bird soon becomes reconciled to the 

 half- reclaimed state in which English and French bovs are fond of keeping it, taking it 

 out to the woods with a long string tied to its leg, and suffering it to ascend trees and 

 forage for food generally, witliin the length of its tether, and letting it climb at intervals 

 about their dress. 



In the " Portraits d'Oyseaux " the following quatrain is printed under the cut of this 

 species : — 



" Le Tercot est au pie verd rcsscmblaut, • 



Dc naturel et net de corpulence, 

 Sa laiigue longuc hors de trois doigts il lance, 

 Ayant en ce du serpent le semblant." 



The last two lines are very nearly a translation from Aristotle. 



