W R E 
driven from the hedges, it may be eafily tired 
and run dov/n. 
Wren, Willow, or Yellow; the Motacilla 
Trochilus of Linn^us. The weight of this bird 
is about two drams. The upper part of the body- 
is of a duflcy green colour ; and the wings and 
tail are brown, edged v/ith yellowiih green. A 
yellowifli ftroke paffes over each eye. The bread, 
belly, and thighs, vary in their colour in different 
birds : in fome, they are of a bright yellow ; and, 
in others, almoft wJiite. 
This fpecies builds in hollows in the fides of 
ditches, forming an oval neft, with a large hole 
• at the top for an entrance; the outfide confifting 
of mofs and hay, and the infide being lined with 
foft down. It ufually lays feven eggs, which are 
white, marked with ruft-coloured fpots. It's 
note is low and plaintive. It frequents large 
moift woods, and fuch places as abound with 
willows ; from which circumftance it is not un- 
frequently called the W^illow-wren. 
Wren, Golden-Crested ; the Motacilla 
Regulus of Linnffius. This is the fmalleft of all 
Britifh birds, weighing no more than twenty-fix. 
grains. It is about three inches and a half in 
length ; and the expanfion of the wings is five 
inches. It is eafily diftinguifhed from other 
birds, not only by it's fize, but alfo by the beau- 
tiful fcarlet'mark on it's head, bounded on each 
fide by a fine yellow line. The bill is dufky ; 
the feathers of the forehead are green ; and a nar- 
row white line extends from the bill to the eyes. 
The hind part of the neck and back are of a dull 
green colour ; the coverts of the wings are dufky, 
edged with green, and tipt with white ; the quill- 
feathers and the tail are dufl-;y, edged with pale 
green ; the throat and belly are white, tinged with 
green ; the legs are of a dull yellow hue, and 
the claws are extremely long in proportion to the 
fize. 
This bird frequents woods, and is ufually feen 
perched on oak-trees. It's note does not mate- 
rially diffrr from that of the common Wren. 
It continues in this ifland the whole year ; and, 
though a weak and minute creature, feems 
capable of fupporting the rigour of our feverefl; 
winters. 
Wren, Ruey-Crowned ; the Motacilla Ca- 
lendula of Linnaeus. This is a native of North 
Americaj particularly of the province of Pennfyl- 
vania. The bill is black; the head, the back part 
of the neck, and the rump, are of a darkifh olive 
green colour, but deeper on the head, and lighter 
on the rump ; a fpot of the moft beautiful red 
adorns the crown of the head ; and the breaft and 
belly are of a lightifh yellow or cream colour. 
The coverts of the wings are oiive-coloured, with 
whitifh tips, forming two lines acrofs each wing ; 
the three quills next the back are dufky, edged 
with cream-colour; and the remainder of the 
quills are alfo dufky, with narrow greenifh^cdges. 
The tail is black or dufKy, edged with yeliow 
green, but afh-coloured beneath ; and the legs, 
feet, and claws, are duflcy. 
Wren, Caribeee. This is a native of the 
Weft Indies; where, on account of it's melodi- 
ous note, it has received the appellation of the 
nightingale. It is larger than the common 
Wren ; and is the more remarkable for pollcfilng 
a fine voice in a country where birds are not much 
celebrated for that excellence. 
Vv^RlNGLE-TAIL. An appellation by which 
fome authors exprefs the curvicauda; a fpecies of 
bee-fly very much refembling the bee in fhape, 
but having only two wings. 
This infeft is very troublefome to horfes, by 
laying it's eggs in their hides. It is alfo called 
the whame and barrel-fly. 
WRY-NECK. A bird of the pie kind, to 
which fome naturalifts give the name of Torquilla. 
It forms a diftin6l genus in the Linnjean fyftem, 
under the denomination of Jynx : the charafters of 
which are; the bill is flender, round, and point- 
ed; the noftrils are concave and naked; the tongue 
is very long, flender, cylindric, and terminated by 
a hard point; and the feet are formed for climbing. 
There is only one fpecies. 
This bird, which Linnasus difi;inguifhes by the 
appellation of the jynx, has it's colours pencilled 
in the mofl: elegant manner, though it's plumage 
is marked with the plaineft kinds. Alifi; of black 
and ferruginous ftrokes divides the top of the 
head from the back ; the fides of the head and 
neck are afh-coloured, be.iutifuUy traverfed with 
fine lines of black and reddifli brown ; the quiil- 
feathers are dufl<:y, but the webs are marked with 
ruft-coloured fpots. The chin and breaft are of a 
light yellowifh brown hue, adorned with fharp- 
pointed bars of black ; the tail is compofed of ten 
leathers, broad, and feeble at their extrem.ities, of 
a pale afh-colour, fprinkled with red and black, 
and marked with four equi-diftant bars of black. 
The irides are of a yellowifli colour ; and the 
tongue is long and cylindric, being adapted for 
the fame purpofes with that of the woodpecker. 
Pennant is of opinion that the Wry -neck is a 
bird of paflage. It generally appears a little before 
the cuckow; and it's note is like that of the keftril, 
a quick repeated fqueak. It builds in the hollows 
of trees, forming it's neft of dry grafs. It has a 
very fingular and whimfical method of turning 
it's neck round, and bringing it's head over it's 
fhoulders; whence it has received the appellation 
of Torquilla, and in Englifli the Wry-neck. It 
alfo pofieflTes the faculty of eredting the feathers of 
it's head like the jay. It's ufual food confifts of 
ants, which it dextroufly transfixes with the bony 
and fliarp end of it's tongue, and then draws them 
up into it's mouth. 
This bird weighs about one ounce and a quar- 
ter ; it's length is feven inches ^ and the expan- 
fion of it's wings eleven. 
