372 BRITISH BIRDS. 
IYNX TORQUILLA. 
WRYNECK. 
(Pirate 18.) 
Torquilla torquilla, Briss. Orn. iv. p. 4 (1760). 
Torquilla striata, Briss. Orn. iv. p. 7 (1760). 
Yunx torquilla, Zain. Syst. Nat. i, p. 172 (1766); et auctorum plurimorum— 
Latham, Temminck, Naumann, Bonaparte, Newton, Dresser, &e. 
Picus jynx, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. i. p. 416 (1826). 
Yunx japonica, Bonap. Consp. i. p. 112 (1850). 
The Wryneck is a common bird in the south-eastern counties of 
England. West of the Severn and north of the Trent it is much rarer, 
and is very locally distributed. It is a rare summer visitor to most of the 
counties of Scotland, and has occurred on migration on both the Orkney 
and Shetland Islands; but in Ireland it has only been obtained once, 
near Waterford. 
The Wryneck has a very extensive range, being found during the 
breeding-season almost throughout the Palearctic Region. It has oc- 
curred several times on migration on the Faroes. In Scandinavia and 
West Russia it has been found in summer up to lat. 64°; but in Hast 
Russia and West Siberia it does not appear to range further north than 
lat. 60°. On the Pacific coast of Asia it has not been obtained further 
north than lat. 55°, but is said by Pallas to occur in Kamtschatka. It is 
not known to visit any of the Atlantic islands ; but it breeds sparingly, 
and is probably a resident, in Algeria. In Southern Europe it is prin- 
cipally known on spring and autumn migration ; many, however, remain 
to breed, and a few are found even in midwinter. In Egypt it is said 
only to be seen on migration, and, according to Heuglin, winters south of 
Abyssinia. To Palestine and Asia Minor it is said only to be a summer 
visitor. It has not been recorded from Persia, but it breeds sparingly 
throughout Turkestan, and passes through Afghanistan on migration. It 
breeds in the Altai Mountains and the Himalayas, and winters in India. 
Tt is a summer visitor to the whole of Southern Siberia, but has not been 
recorded from Mongolia. It is common and breeds in Japan, passes 
through North China on migration, and winters im South China and Burma. 
The Wryneck has three tropical allies in Central aud South Africa, and 
one in India, all of which may be distinguished by their chestnut breasts. 
The Wryneck is a summer visitor to the British Islands, sometimes 
appearing in the southern counties of England early in March, but the 
date of its arrival is generally during the first or second week of April ; 
