THE WEYNECK. 221 



busy in bringing out the larvae to the sun and air. Dis- 

 turbing their dwelling readily brings out the ants at any 

 time if the weather is dry, and the wryneck uses both its 

 bill and the horny point of its tongue for that purpose ; and 

 when the little warriors mount the breach to reconnoitre 

 and try if they can repel the enemy, the wryneck picks 

 them up, soldier after soldier, till none are left. When it 

 is engaged over an abundant supply of its favourite food, 

 whether on the trunk of a tree or on the ground, the body 

 is motionless, but the head is continually moving from side to 

 side, and the dark mesial line on the back twining like a 

 serpent, the joints of the neck have so much motion that the 

 posture of the head can be recovered. At those times the 

 motions of the tongue are so quick, that they can hardly be 

 observed. Indeed, the bird is altogether so shy and retiring 

 in its habits, that it is difficult to be got sight ofj unless one 

 come softly upon it, at those times when it is basking on or 

 near the ant-hills, while the ants are taking their siesta, 

 which most of them do, though at different times, according 

 to the variety. 



The ants which the wryneck finds in those localities which 

 it frequents, are exceedingly numerous when the weather is 

 favourable ; but they are rather uncertain, from their 

 extreme sensibility, and the great degree in which the 

 maturing of their eggs depends on the state of the atmo- 

 sphere. Hence, though the wryneck continues with us only 

 during those months that the ants are above the surface, and 

 in a state of activity, it is often put to great straits ; and 

 that may account for the limited number of the birds as 

 compared with the eggs in each nest. They remain too 

 short a time in this country, however, for producing second 

 broods ; and they are probably as liable to suffer from con- 

 tingencies in their winter retreats beyond seas, as they are 

 with us during the summer. It is not ascertained that the 



