46 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Subfamily JYNGIN^. 



Plumage much softer than in most Picince. Tail soft, and 

 only slightly rounded, rectrices not pointed, nostrils open. Only 

 one genus. 



Genus JYNX L. 



Jynx Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 112 (1758— Monotype ; J ynx torquilla). 



Characters of subfamily. Coloration different from that of 

 all true Woodpeckers, upper side reminding one of that of certain 

 Goatsuckers or Owls, brown and grey of various shades, buff with 

 fine black markings. The reduced small outermost tail-feather 

 not above but below next tail-feather, as usual. One species in 

 several subspecies in Palsearctic region, some rather different species 

 in Africa. 



JYNX TORQUILLA 



225. Jynx torquilla torquilla L.— THE WRYNECK. 



Jynx Torquilla Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 112 (1758 — Europe. 



Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



lynx torquilla Linnaeus, Yarrell, 11, p. 487 ; Saunders, p. 271. 



Description. — Adult male 

 and female. Winter. — General 

 colour of upper -parts vermi- 

 culated grey and brown with 

 rufous -brown and blackish 

 bars and broad blackish 

 streaks ; fore-head, crown, 

 sides of nape and sides of 

 mantle variegated grey and 

 brown barred rufous -brown 

 and brown -black and with 

 pale grey bands or patches 

 usually divided centrally by The Wrjneck {Jynx *' torquilla) ■ 



black-brown on crown and 



thus somewhat spot-like, feathers of sides of mantle with narrow 

 dark brown mesial streaks ; centre of nape, back of neck, mantle and 

 back with broad brown-black streaks margined rufous-brown with 

 brown-black vermiculations and feathers edged grey with brown 

 vermiculations ; scapulars rufous vermiculated black-brown and 

 with irregular brown-black centres with rufous or greyish semi- 

 circular spots at tips of outer webs ; rump and upper tail-coverts 

 grey vermiculated and irregularly banded brown and with more 

 or less well-defined narrow brown-black mesial streaks ; centre por- 

 tion of ear-coverts forming a streak rufous narrowly barred black ; 



