wryneck:. 549 



eio-ht to ten in number, on the bare rotten wood within ; thefe 

 eggs are as white as ivory *, according to Buffon. 



This, as far as relates to England, is- a bird of pafiage, coming. Placbs. 



eight or ten days before the Cuckow. We find it mentioned as an 

 inhabitant throughout. Europe, and of many parts of the old Conti- 

 nent. It is in Rujfia, Sweden, Lapland, Greece, Italy, Babylon, and 

 Bengal; authorities for which Buffon mentions, and fays, that at the 

 end of fummer this bird grows very fat, when it becomes excel- 

 lent eating ; for which reafon, fome have named it the Ortolan. 

 Its food is chiefly ants, which the male has been obferved to carry 

 to the female while fitting. — The young ones, while in the neflr, 

 will hifs like fo many fnakes ; infomuch that many have been 

 prevented plundering the old ones of their offspring, on fuppo- 

 fition, that they were advancing their hands on the brood of this 

 loathfome reptile. 



Le Torcal raye,. Brif. em. iv. p. j. Var. A\ 



Jyngi congener, Aldrov. av, i. p. 868. t. %6g.—W:lhom. t. 2-2. 



npHIS is faid to differ from the other,. in manner following: 

 — The head and upper parts of the body are ferruginousj 

 beautifully varied, with tranfverfe yellow fpots : the under parts 

 white, varied with longitudinal lines of yellow : the wings and 

 tail the fame colour with the back : legs yellow : claws black 

 and hooked. 



It is much to be doubted' whether this is a different bird ; it is 

 more likely a variety of the common fpecies above-mentioned. 



• Mr. Pennant r'ferves, that the fhell is fo thin that the yolk may be feen 

 ■within. He alfo fays, that itmakes a neft of dry grafs. Br. Zool, 8vo. p. 239. 



GENUS": 



