BRITISH BIRDS. 
JI 3 
generally appears with us a few days before the 
Cuckoo. Its food confifts chiefly of ants and other 
infers, of which it finds great abundance lodged in 
the bark and crevices of trees. The ftoraach of 
one which we opened was full of indigefted parts 
of ants. It is faid to frequent the places where ant 
hills are, into which it darts its tongue and draws 
out its prey. Though nearly related to the family 
of the Woodpeckers, in the formation of its bill 
and feet, it never affociates with them, but feems 
to form a fmall and feparate family. The Wry- 
neck holds itfelf very eredt on the branch of the 
tree where it fits ; its body is almofl: bent back- 
ward, whilfl: it writhes its head and neck by a flow 
and almofl: involuntary motion, not unlike the wa- 
ving wreaths of a reptile. It is a very folitary bird, 
and leads a fequeftered life ; it is never feen with 
any other fociety but that of its female, and it is 
only tranfitory, for as foon as the domeftic union is 
difiolved, which is in the month of September, they 
retire and migrate by themfelves. 
I 
