282 BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE WRYNECK. . 



(Yunx Torquilla, Linn. Tor col ordinaire, Temm.) 



THE principal colours of this beautiful bird 

 consist of different shades of brown, but so 

 elegantly arranged as to form a picture of exquisite 

 neatness; from the hinder part of the' head an 

 irregular line of brownish black runs to the middle 

 of the back, the rest of the back is ash-grey, 

 streaked and powdered with brown ; the throat and 

 under side of the neck are reddish brown, crossed 

 with delicate bars of black; the breast, belly, and 

 thighs light ash, marked with triangular spots ; the 

 larger quill feathers are marked on the outer webs 

 with alternate spots of dark brown and rust colour, 

 which, when the wing is closed, give it the appear- 

 ance of chequered work; the rest of the wing and 





