Like those of the Woodpecker, the toes of the Wryneck are zygoclactyle ; that is, two of them are placed 
anteriorly and two posteriorly, the outermost of the latter being the longest, — an arrangement which affords 
the bird ample support while clinging to the upright boles of trees ; not that this is its exclusive habit, for it 
as frequently perches across a small branch, or takes up a position on the top of a post, rail, or dead limb. 
The moth-like markings of its plumage assimilate it most closely with the bark of trees and the objects with 
which it is generally surrounded. Its bill is conical, and terminates in a sharpish point, but is not so wedge- 
shaped as that of the Woodpecker ; it is formed, indeed, for a different end and purpose, the bird never, I 
believe, even attempting to make a hole for itself, let the tree be ever so rotten, — the hollow spout of an apple 
branch, a decayed hole in a willow or other tree, being selected as a place of deposit for its ten or twelve 
pinky-white eggs, which are laid on the bare wood, or upon the rotten dust in the cavity. 
There is something so odd and indescribable in this bird, when captured and held in the hand, that 
language can scarcely convey an adequate idea of it. Many of its actions are indeed snake-like ; if held by 
the legs, the writhings and contortions of the head and neck, with its tail outspread like that of a Peacock, 
are ridiculously grotesque. If the hole in which its eggs are deposited be approached, the intruder is met 
with a rustling noise and serpent-like hisses, the bird frequently rushing to the entrance, and as quickly 
retiring, until at length it darts forward with arrow-like swiftness, and dippingly flies off to the nearest tree. 
The number of eggs laid by the bird appears to vary very considerably ; from nine to twelve is probably the 
usual number; but I have known several instances in which they were more numerous; and Mr. Salmon 
relates that, upon one occasion, he induced a female to lay no less than twenty-two, by repeatedly disturbing 
an old nest of a Redstart, which the bird bad selected for a place of deposit. The eggs, which before being 
blown are of a delicate flesh- or rosy-white tint, are about nine lines and a half long by seven lines broad. 
The birds are said to frequent the same hollow in a tree for several successive years. 
Mr. Yarrell says, “ tlie young birds are easily tamed, and are great favourites Avith boys in this country ; 
but still more so in France, where it is customary to tie a piece of thin string to one of the legs of the bird, 
and, carrying it fi*om one tree to another, allow it to search the bark for insects ; and when brought back to 
hand by the string, it climbs with equal facility over any part of their clothes.” 
In plumage the sexes are precisely alike, but the size of the male rather exceeds that of the female ; the 
young, too, at once assume the plumage of the adult, the only exception to this strict similitude being that 
their general tint is somewhat darker, and the spots and bars rather more conspicuous ; crown of the head 
grey, crossed by narrow irregular bands of brown ; sides of the bead and neck, loAver part of the back, and 
upper tail-coverts grey, minutely freckled with brown ; from the occiput, doAvn the centre of the neck, and 
betAveen the shoulders, a broad mark, composed of mingled streaks of black and broAvn ; Aving-coverts 
broAvnisb grey, each feather tipped Avitb greyish Avhlte, bounded posteriorly AAuth a mark of dark broAvn ; 
outer webs of the primaries alternately barred with yelloAvish broAvn and black ; inner webs toothed with 
bufly white ; tail-feathers mingled grey and brown in minute freckles, and crossed by four irregular bars of 
black ; chin, throat, ear-coverts, front of the neck and breast pale faAAui-colour, crossed by narrow lines of 
brown ; from the angle of the eye a streak of broAvn, and anterior to and parallel with this a narroAver one 
of black ; under surface dull Avhite, speckled with black ; under tail-coverts pale fawn-colour, crossed with 
lines of dark hroAAui ; irides light-brownish hazel ; upper mandible fleshy broAAii ; under mandible, legs, and 
claAvs pale sickly olive. 
While Avriting this account of the Wryneck, I have before me specimens from Japan, China, India, Asia 
Minor, Italy, and Great Britain, in all of which slight differences are observable ; the Japanese and Chinese 
birds are smaller, redder, and more strongly marked than those from India, which, again, are more lightly 
coloured than those of Europe. The bird from Rome differs from all the others in having the Avbole of the 
under surface crossed with broad bars instead of a few arrowhead-shaped marks as In the English specimens. 
I cannot, boAvever, consider these as anything more than mere local A^arieties or races of one and the same 
species, as the differences are not, in my opinion, of sufficient importance to Avarrant their being regarded 
as distinct. 
The Plate represents a male and a female of the size of life, the figures being taken from specimens killed 
in April, just prior to the breeding-season, when the birds are in the finest state of plumage. 
