By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 



49 



which it is more usually known " Wryneck," comes from its habit 

 of turning the head rapidly from side to side while feeding, the 

 body remaining motionless ail the while, and this is especially seen 

 when the bird is engaged at an ant heap, extracting those insects 

 and their larvae, which form its favorite food : hence another of its 

 names, " Emmet-hunter." The manner in which it seizes its prey 

 is by darting out its very long extensile tongue, which is even 

 longer in proportion than that of the Woodpeckers, and transfixing 

 or securing it by means of a glutinous secretion with which it is 

 furnished, and this it does with wonderful rapidity, and never 

 failing accuracy : from this habit it is often called " Long-tongue." 

 Again, it is known as the " Snake-bird," from the hissing noise 

 made by the parent and young birds, when the hole in which it has 

 made its nest is disturbed : on such occasions they will puff out 

 their feathers, snap with their bills, hiss like snakes, and assume 

 the most bold and defiant aspect. It is also known as the " Cuckoo's 

 mate," and "Cuckoo's fool" because it arrives a few days before 

 the Cuckoo ; and the late Mr, Marsh told me that it is sometimes 

 known in Wiltshire as the " Valiant Sparrow." It is of shy 

 retiring habits, in shape very like a Woodpecker, with the same 

 arrangement of feet, two toes before and two behind, but without 

 the stiff bristly tail. Its plumage is beautifully pencilled, all the 

 feathers most delicately mottled and marbled with bars and spots 

 of dark and light brown, grey and buff. 



CERTIIIADiE [The Creepers). 



This family is very nearly allied to the last, w and the members 

 of it are quite as great adepts in climbing, though with a different 

 formation of feet, the toes being disposed in the more usual man- 

 ner, viz., three before and one behind ; the structure of the 

 hind toe however is such as to give the bird peculiar facilities 

 for climbing perpendicular surfaces, and even the additional 

 power of moving in either an upward or downward direction. 

 Members of this family are of small size, with slender bodies, 

 moderate necks, short wings, slender arched bills, and plumage 



VOL. IX. — NO. XXV. E 



