372 BRITISH BIRDS. 



IYNX TORQUILLA. 

 WRYNECK. 



(PLATE 18.) 



Torquilla torquilla, Sriss. Orn. it. p. 4 (1760). 



Torquilla striata, Bries. Orn. iv. p. 7 (1760). 



Yunx torquilla, Linn. 8yst. Nat. i. p. 172 (1766"); et auctorutti plurimorum 



Latham, Temminck, Naumann; Bonaparte, Newton, Dresser, &c. 

 Picus jynx, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. i. p. 416 (1826). 

 Yunx japonica, Bonap. Consp. i. p. 112 (1850). 



The Wryneck is a common bird in the south-eastern counties of 

 England. West of the Severn and north of the Trent it is much rarer, 

 and is very locally distributed. It is a rare summer visitor to most of the 

 counties of Scotland, and has occurred on migration on both the Orkney 

 and Shetland Islands; but in Ireland it has only been obtained once, 

 near Waterford, 



The Wryneck has a very extensive range, being found during the 

 breeding-season almost throughout the Palaearctic Region. It has oc- 

 curred several times on migration on the Faroes. In Scandinavia and 

 West Russia it has been found in summer up to lat. 64 j but in East 

 Russia and West Siberia it does not appear to range further north than 

 lat. 60. On the Pacific coast of Asia it has not been obtained further 

 north than lat. 55, but is said by Pallas to occur in Kamtschatka. It is 

 not known to visit any of the Atlantic islands ; but it breeds sparingly, 

 and is probably a resident, in Algeria. In Southern Europe it is prin- 

 cipally known on spring and autumn migration ; many, however, remain 

 to breed, and a few are found even in midwinter. In Egypt it is said 

 only to be seen on migration, and, according to Heuglin, winters south of 

 Abyssinia. To Palestine and Asia Minor it is said only to be a summer 

 visitor. It has not been recorded from Persia, but it breeds sparingly 

 throughout Turkestan, and passes through Afghanistan on migration. It 

 breeds in the Altai Mountains and the Himalayas, and winters in India. 

 It is a summer visitor to the whole of Southern Siberia, but has not been 

 recorded from Mongolia. It is common and breeds in Japan, passes 

 through North China on migration, and winters in South China and Burma. 

 The Wryneck has three tropical allies in Central and South Africa, and 

 one in India, all of which may be distinguished by their chestnut breasts. 



The Wryneck is a summer visitor to the British Islands, sometimes 

 appearing in the southern counties of England early in March, but the 

 date of its arrival is generally during the first or second week of April ; 



