is over, again migrates before the appearance of 
winter, or during the autumnal feafon. Though 
by no means uncommon, it is much more frequently 
hcared than feen; its note, which confifts of a quick 
fucceffion of fevcral thrill tones, being one of the 
moft predominant amongft the vernal birds; while 
its colour bears fo near a refemblance to the bark of 
the trees it frequents, as to be inconfpicuous except 
on a very near approach. 
In its mode of life the Wryneck bears a very 
flrong affinity to the woodpecker tribe; and like 
thofe birds, is furnifhed with a very long, miflile 
tongue, which it darts into the crevices of trees, 
and thus catches the infefts they contain. It lays 
its eggs in the holes of trees, in the manner of a 
woodpecker; making fcarce any neft, but content¬ 
ing itfelf with the foft furface of the decayed wood. 
The eggs arc from five to eight in number, very 
white, and fcmitranfparent. When the female is 
engaged in incubation, fhe has a habit, \vhen dif- 
turbed, of wreathing herfclf into a number of ex¬ 
traordinary poftures in a threatening manner. It is 
from this circumftance that the name of Wryneck 
has been given to the bird. The celebrated Der- 
ham in his Phyfico-Theology obferves that, when a 
boy, he has more than once been deterred by thefe 
threatening contortions from taking the eggs of the 
Wryneck, <c daring no more to venture his hand 
into the hole than if a ferpent had lodged in it.’* 
They fometimes, however, build in a hole fo deep 
as to be perfectly fecure from attacks of this kind; 
but if an attempt is made to reach them, they hifs 
in 
