46 THE BIRDS OF RAINHAM. 



WRYNECK. 



lynx torquilla, Linn. 



The Wryneck or " Snakebird " wakes us up early 

 in the spring with its peculiar note, even earlier than 

 the Chiffchaff ; the latter frequents the woods and 

 coppices, the former our orchards and homesteads, 

 and enlivens us at once with its familiar presence. 



CREEPER. 

 Certhia familiaris> Linn. 



Though pretty generally distributed, the Creeper is 

 not an every-day bird with us ; we now and then 

 catch a glimpse of one in our orchard trees, always 

 climbing upwards from below ; they do upon occa- 

 sion nest in the old trees. 



WREN. 

 Troglodytes parvulus, Koch. 



The note of the Wren seems to be, for the bird's 

 size, one of the loudest of our indigenous birds. 

 Creeping amongst thick herbage, ivy covered walls, 

 stumps of trees, examining every secure spot for 

 insect food in the various stages of life, is fond of 

 roosting in old thatch in cold weather, pulls straws 

 out of the thatch, and frequents the same hole, if 

 undisturbed, year after year. 



