vii Aristotle on Birds 195 



rid of the others. In other points about the Cuckoo, 

 such as its timidity and the date of its disappearance, 

 he is quite correct ; and the whole account can leave 

 no doubt in our minds that he had more accurate 

 knowledge about the bird than about most smaller 

 and less curious ones. 1 



The Cuckoo's mate, or Wryneck, is so exactly 

 described by Aristotle that I cannot forbear quoting 

 the whole passage. "Some few birds have two 

 claws in front and two behind, as the bird which is 

 called ivyt;. It is a little larger than a finch, is of 

 a variegated colour, and has another peculiarity 

 beside that of its claws : for its tongue is like that 

 of the snakes. It can protrude this tongue to a 

 length equal to the breadth of four fingers, and draw 

 it back again into its former position. Further, it 

 twists its neck right round without moving the 

 rest of its body, just like the snakes." 2 This 

 passage proves that a really remarkable bird could 

 fix the attention of an observer of that day, though 

 the less curious species might fail to do so. The 

 Woodpeckers are also described with accuracy ; 

 Aristotle is aware that they too have long tongues, 

 with which they catch ants and other insects, but he 



1 H. A. ix. 29. 



2 H. A. ii. 12, foil. The Greek name used by Aristotle is, 

 as in so many cases (e.g. Sitta, Certhia, Apus, Cinclus, etc.), 

 still retained as one of the scientific names of the bird (lynx 

 torquilla). 



