414 CANARIES, HM5RIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



shdilcr (lur:ili(Hi. II raivly sings so llucnily I'l-ct'ulric hut swi'i'l, tlioU{j;li coiiiparalivtly short 



in a cage, wluTfas (•iii)livily iiiakrs no (lilTciciK-e and uIUtihI generally when on the wing at a 



to the Skylark. Holh these iiircls also sing when slight elevation. The Shorelark is a soniewhal 



on the gronnil. and hotli build their nests there(Mi, dillieult bird to steady, tint patienee is soon 



usually well loneealed under a tuft of grass or rewarded by its eonlidi nee. II is olteil ex- 



lierha.m-. the Woodlark sometimes l)elow a small hibited, antl the essential i)oints for this jjurpose 



bush. The lalter's bill is dark brown above. are maturity, rieh eolour, markings well delined, 



pale yellow-brown beneath; over the eye and perfect plumage, and steadiness. The eages 



ear-eoverts runs a pale yellowish-brown streak ; for keeping and exhibiting the Skylark and the 



I lie teal hers (Jii the top of the head are of a light same diet answer well. 



brown ciilour. streaked with dark brown, and Rvmily Picid.e. — This family includes in its 



aie long, forjning a crest, which can be elevated sub-sections hjncjiiuv and Picime. and is repre- 



at ]ileasure ; the whole of the upper part is sented in Great Britain by the Wryneck and 



rufous brown, streaked on the nei-k and patilucl three Woodpeckers. 



on the back with dark brownish-black : the tail The Wryneck, lynx lorquilla (Dresser), is a 



has a very light brown feather cm eitlier side. summer visitor to south-eastern luigland, is 



and two of ])ale brown in the middle, the rest nmch rarer and more local in 



being brownish-black, triangularly tipped with "^^ the north and west, and only 



white: the whole of the under-iiarl is jiale WrynecR. ^^^.^^ recorded in Irelanil. H 



yellowish-brown, speckled with elongated Hecks arrives early in April, and. owing to the Cuckoo 



ol dark brown, smaller and more thinly scat- arri\ing at about the same time, it is widely 



l'''''l "II ll'c throat, and gathering in siz<' and known by the name of '•Cuckoo's Mate." It 



nunibei- on the breast, and none at all (ju tlie leaves again in September to winter in Africa, 



abdomen, which shades to white, faintly linged It is very shy, and its soft musical call-note 



with yellow. The Woodlark is smaller than pec-pee first attracts attention. The Wryneck 



the Skylark, and its tail and lihid claws are favours wooded districts, and though a true 



shorter. The sexes are alike. II is a g I bird mendier of Ihe family I'ieidx by reason of the 



lor cage or aviary, and the cages leconnuendcd structure (d its feet and its extensile tongue it 



for keeping and exhibiting Pipits answer well. is not adapted for climldng trees like the Wood- 



The diet should be as bir Ihe Skylark, excej)! pecker, the soft plumage of its tail not furnishing 



for Ihe canary seed. I-;ssential exhibition points much supprnt. .\t I imes. ho\ve\er. it will run 



are good eolour. dislinci markings, perfect uj) a tree smartly, but may more (dten be seen 



plumage, well-matured body, and steadiness. sitting on a branch like an ordinary Passerine 



The Shorelark. Olacnri/s dhirslris ( Xni'lun), bird. The name " Wryneck " is dui' lo a 



is a winli'r migrant to our shores, and of miu'h peculiar snake-like moNi'menl of tiie head and 



„ more regular occurrence than neck, giving the neck a wry-like appearance. 



ShorelarR fornicrl\. Its breeding (piarters It (lc])0sits its eggs in existing holes in decayed 



arc Northern lurrripe arrd .Vsia. trees, on the bare wood, and builds no nest, 



anri it is also tound irr the rioriherrr parls Thi' Wryneck is a beaiiliful exam|jle of the 



of .\rneriea. II is a \cry handsonii' bjril. ellnl of blending a few sirrrple colours. (Irey 



unconnnonly marked. The general colour above and brown, with shades of yellowish-white, 



is ashy, slightly tinged with vinous: the tail is form practically the only lints: but these are 



black, except the centre feathers, which ar'c charmingly distriliirled. Ihe colours foiriring 



edged with asli-brown ; Ihe outer edge of the into stripes and bars (d \arying shades, ticked 



outer feathers arrd the half ot the next ar'e and nndlleil bclweeu with lighter and darker 



while: Ihe forehead is pale yellow bounded spots over thi' biown-grey ground colour; Ihe 



behirrd by a black band. I errrinral irrg al each side dark stripes orr the back and the irregular bars 



with some narrow black leal hers elongated. of lighl and dark across the tail feathers are 



which can be raiseil at will : Ihe lores, cheeks. very promineid. as are also the marks on Ihe 



ami Ihr-oal irr the lorrrr of a ircscerr! barrd arc head and eai'-eoverts. The sexes are aliki'. and 



ilcep black; the chirr, sides ol rreck. arrd a thi' bir'd is ot mediirm size, aboirl il | inches long, 



str'eak abo\e each eye are srrlphrrr- yellow ; lis food al lilieri\ eonsrsls errtirelx of insects 



beneath Ihe black gular band the breast is and Iheir lar\;e, arils and their cocoons being 



hyaeintb red varied wilh blaekish-brown. and the favourite diet, 'fluse it lakes by darling 



the sides of the bicast are the same eolour : the oirl its long tongue and touching its prey, 



naid<s ai'e \inous with darker ceidres to Ihe which Itieii adheres to llie glutinous secretion 



fealheis; the irrrder-body shades lo white at wilh which Ihe bird's tongue is abundantly 



Ihe abdoiiierr. Ihe h-male is yellower on I Ire sirpplied. In eonlinement it does well on the 



lorehead. ami I hi' black barrd on I h^' crown is diet recommended for the smaller Warblers by 



not so pronounced. the song is somewhat just adding a little extra sujiply of ants' cocoons. 



