THE WRYNECK 



Yur.x torquilla, Linn^el's ; Le Torcol, Buffon; Ber Gemeiner Weiidehals, 

 Bechstein. 



Though it is six inches and a half in length, it is not larger 

 than our lark, because its tail includes three inches and a 

 quarter, and its beak nine lines. The iris is of a brownish 

 yellow, the feet, two claws of which are before and two behind, 

 are short, strong, and lead colour. The head is ash- coloured, 

 speckled with small nist-coloured spots mixed with some white 

 ones. The top of the head and half of the back are divided 

 lengthwise by a broad black streak, edged with rust colour ; 

 the rest of the upper part of the body is of a fine grey, streaked 

 and speckled with black, white, and rust colour. In the female 

 the belly is paler than in the male. 



Habitation When wild, it is a bird of passage, which departs during 



the first fortnight of September, and does not return till the end of April, 

 frequenting groves and orchards. In August it goes into gardens and fields 

 planted with cabbages and other vegetables. 



In the house it is better to let it run about at will than to keep it in a 

 cage, where it would soil its feathers, particularly those on the belly and 

 breast, Avhile playing. 



Food. — In its wild state, the wryneck lives on insects, for catching which 

 it has a very long cylindrical tongue, with a hard point, that can be insi- 

 nuated into all the chinks and fissures of trees. Ants' eggs are a very 

 favourite food, and it does not dislike the ants themselves. Towards 

 autumn, when the latter fail, it is contented with elder-berries till the time 

 of its departure which never varies. 



In the house it must be first given ants' eggs ; and then by degi'ees the 

 universal paste, to which it soon becomes accustomed ; but, as it is deli- 

 cate, in order to preserve it for some ti^jc, the nightingales' food agrees 

 better with it. It is very amusing to s^e it search all the cracks and 

 crevices of the room for insects : and if a few ants' eggs were now and thea 

 put there, it would give it the greatest pleasure. 



