CLIMBERS. 297 



Tlwjre are certain species of Woodpeckers called by Lacepede Picoidf.s, 

 in wiiich the external toe is wanting; having, consequently, but two be- 

 fore, and one behind ; but, in all other respects, they are similar to the 

 common ones. There is one of them in the north and east of Europe. 

 P. tridaetylus, Edw. 114; Naum. 137. Intermediate, as to size, 

 between the Great and Little Spotted Woodpecker ; black, spotted 

 with white above; calotte of the male orange; that of the female 

 white. 

 We might also make a subgenus of those species whose slightly arcu- 

 ated bill begins to approach the cuckoos*. One of them always seeks 

 its food while walking on the ground, although its tail is similar to the 

 others -f-. 



YuNxJ, Lin. 

 The Torcols or Wrynecks have the extensible tongue of the Wood- 

 peckers, which is also moved by the same kind of mechanism, but the 

 spines are wanting; their straight and pointed bill is nearly round, and 

 without any angles ; the quills of their tail are like those of birds in ge- 

 neral. Their mode of life is that of the Woodpeckers, except that they 

 climb but seldom. There is one of them in Europe. 



Y.torquiUa, L.; Enl. 098; Naum. 138. (The Common Wry- 

 neck). The size of a lark; brovm above, prettily vermiculated with 

 small blackish waves, and longitudinal fawn-coloured and black 

 streaks; whitish, transversely striped with black beneath. It de- 

 rives its name from its singular habit, when surprised, of twisting its 

 head and neck in opposite directions. 

 The PicuMNi, Temm,, can scarcely be said to differ from the Wry- 

 necks, except in their very short tail. They are very small birds §, some 

 of which have but three toes, like the Picoides|l. 



CucuLUs**, Lin. 



The Cuckoos have a middling, well-cleft, compressed, and slightly ar- 

 cuated bill; the tail long. They live on insects, and are birds of passage. 

 We subdivide this numerous genus as follows : — 



colours, are but of little importance, and that it is very possible that among the above 

 species, several may be found to constitute but one («). 



• Such as tlie Pi'cus auratus {Cucuhns auratus of the 10th Ed-). Enl. 695, and Wils. 

 I, ui-.—PicHs cafer, Lath., or promeipic, Vaill. From. 32i—P.poicilophos, T. Col. lOS, 

 f. 1. 



t Pictis orator, Nob., Vaill. Afr. pi. cclv, and cclvi. 



The only additional abstraction that we make from the genus Picas, is the P. mi- 

 mitus, Lath. {Yunx minutissimus, Gm. Enl. 786, 1; Vieill. Gal. 28), which in fact is a 

 Wryneck. 



X XuNX, the Greek name of this bird, Torquilla the Latin one. 



§ P. minule, T. {Yunx mimitissima), Gm. Enl. 786, 1 ;— P. h toupet (Picumnus cir- 

 rhaius, T.), Col. 371, 1; Vieill. Gal. 28;— P. viignon {P. exilis, T.)j Col. 571, 2, 



II P.ahnormis,!:., Col. 371, 3. 



•• Kokkux, cuculus, cuckoo, expresses the cry of the European species. 



^r (a) The Picus auratus has bccvmc the genus CoLAPTES of Swainson.— 

 Enq. Ed. 



