PERCHING BIRDS. 221 



ance on the stems and branches of trees, and 

 captures with its tongue, which it can protrude 

 at least an inch, and then draw in with the 

 rapidity of lightning. When it is thus engaged, 

 whether on a tree or the ground, its body is 

 motionless, but its head is continually moving 

 from side to side, and twining with a serpentine 

 action, whence its name ; and it is also called in 

 some counties, the snake-bird. 



Without any rich or brilliant colour in its plu- 

 mage, the wryneck is still a handsome bird, from 

 the singularly beautiful manner in which the 

 various markings and the shades of brown and 

 gray are mingled. It is solitary in its habits, 

 being very seldom seen with any other bird than 

 its own mate, and that but a limited portion of 

 the year. The young are easily tamed, and are 

 great favourites with boys in this country, but 

 more particularly so in France, where it is cus- 

 tomary to tie a piece of string to one of the legs 

 of the bird, and carrying it from one tree to 

 another to allow it to search the bark for insects, 

 and when brought back by the string, it climbs 

 -with equal facility over any part of their clothes. 

 The female bird is rather larger than the male. 

 The note is a sharp sound repeated several times, 

 and not unlike the whistle of the kestril. 



The NUT HATCH, and the TREE CREEPER are two 



