WRYNECK. , 359 



ward, in the wooded districts, it is considered to 

 be generally and not uncommonly distributed. 

 Mr Selby mentions having traced it as far as 

 Morpeth, in Northumberland, where a few are 

 seen every year. Mr Greenhow includes it in 

 a list of birds of the parish of Tynemouth, 

 same county.* In Scotland it becomes still less 

 frequent ; we have heard of very few examples, 

 and one only has come under our own notice, 

 killed on the banks of the Solway, early in 

 spring, and now in our collection ; it drew atten- 

 tion by its peculiar, and there unknown cries. 

 It is not mentioned by Mr Thompson in the 

 Irish list. On the Continent, it is said by 

 Temminck to be found in central Europe, seldom 

 ranging more to the northward than Sweden. 

 Of its more extended range we have fewer indi- 

 cations ; it occurs in Temminck's list of Japanese 

 birds identical with those of Europe, and we 

 have received it in a collection of birds from the 

 vicinity of Canton. Montague mentions it as 

 known in Africa. 



We can give no description of the habits of 

 this bird from observation. All authors agree 

 in the food being insectivorous, and consisting 

 in a great measure upon ants, which has obtained 

 for it the common appellation of " Emmet Hun- 

 ter." These it takes with the tongue, by darting 

 out and touching the prey, which adheres to the 

 glutinous secretion with which it is abundantly 



* Loudon's Mag. v. p. 568 



