8 PIC1DE. 



or an open country containing irregular and unconnected 

 groups of trees, such as orchards or plantations, particularly 

 of willows ; and he prefers low moist lands before high and 

 dry localities, so that in mountainous districts he is only seen 

 in and about the valleys. He seemingly also prefers trees 

 of a middle size to those that are more lofty, and may be 

 frequently seen perched on the lower branches, but rarely 

 on the uppermost boughs of a tree ; and as his food princi- 

 pally consists of ants, which he takes from the ground, he 

 is most usually found in low bushes or hedge-rows, or on 

 the surface of the ground. The night is passed by the Wry- 

 neck in some hole of a tree, for which purpose old pollard 

 trees most readily furnish him with a lodging ; particularly 

 as his beak is not formed with sufficient strength to enable 

 him to excavate a cavity for himself, and he is therefore com- 

 pelled to resort to the deserted hole of a woodpecker, or any 

 chance hole that may present itself to supply his wants. 



The Wryneck is a very harmless and quiet bird, who never 

 quarrels with his neighbours, and even the dispute between 

 two male birds for the possession of a female is earned on 

 by them in a few chasing flights, and a little calling out, 

 which latter portion of the contest is followed up while the 

 disputants are perched at a short distance from each other on 

 separate branches in apparent passion, with the feathers of 

 the head and throat much distended and raised ; they show 

 little or no fear of man, and if surprised while on the ground, • 

 only fly to a short distance. When the Wryneck perches 

 on a branch he always sits transversely thereon, neither does 

 he run up the trunk, or along the horizontal branches of a 

 tree in the manner of the woodpeckers, but always progresses 

 in a half-sideling posture, as if careful not to ruffle his tail- 

 feathers ; and when he fastens himself upright against the 

 stem of a tree, he never moves onwards in that position. 

 Perched on a branch his posture is rather upright, but on 



