WRYNECK. 159 



THE WRYNECK is a common bird, and a well known 

 summer visiter to this country, arriving in the first or se- 

 cond week of April, and departing by the end of August 

 or early in September. As the Wryneck makes its ap- 

 pearance here about the same time as the Cuckoo, it has 

 from some supposed connection with that bird acquired the 

 names of Cuckoo's Mate, and Cuckoo's Maid. Pennant 

 says the Welsh name for this bird (Gwds y gog) means 

 also Cuckoo's attendant ; but it is scarcely necessary to 

 add that, except in the circumstance of the two species 

 arriving here, and again departing hence, about the same 

 period of each spring and autumn, these two birds have in- 

 deed scarcely any other point of similarity between them. 

 The Wryneck is, in fact, rather solitary in its habits, being 

 very seldom seen associating with, or even near, any other 

 bird than its own single partner, and that too but for a 

 very limited portion of the year. 



Without any rich or attractive colours in its plumage, 

 the Wryneck is still a handsome bird from the singularly 

 beautiful manner in which the various markings and the 

 shades of brown and grey are distributed. It is provided 

 with a long tongue, and with feet similar to those of the 

 Woodpeckers, but has not the stiff tail-feathers like those 

 birds, and is, as might be expected, less of a climber than 

 the species of the genus Picus. It frequents small copses, 

 plantations, orchards, and fields enclosed with tall hedges. 



This bird is called a Wryneck from the habit it exhibits 

 of moving its head and neck in various directions, some- 

 times describing parts of circles, at others from side to 

 side, with an undulating motion not unlike the actions of 

 a snake, and in some of the counties in England this bird 

 is called the Snakebird from this circumstance. When 

 found in its retreat in the hole of a tree, it makes a loud 



