. A history of British birds . nder the name of Saurognatha. Itmay be convenient to state that the substance of Malherbespretentious but unsatisfactory Monographic des Picides (Metz : 1859-62) has been succinctly given in Sundevalls Conspectus Avium Picinarum, and that the structure ofthe European species is the subject of a treatise by Kessler(Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. xvii. p. 285) and of a shorter noticeby Nitzsch, published many years after his death ( Ges. Naturw. 1866, p. 477). * The sale-catalogue of Donovans Museum in 1818 includes as Lot 420 a birdof this siDecies to which is
. A history of British birds . nder the name of Saurognatha. Itmay be convenient to state that the substance of Malherbespretentious but unsatisfactory Monographic des Picides (Metz : 1859-62) has been succinctly given in Sundevalls Conspectus Avium Picinarum, and that the structure ofthe European species is the subject of a treatise by Kessler(Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. xvii. p. 285) and of a shorter noticeby Nitzsch, published many years after his death ( Ges. Naturw. 1866, p. 477). * The sale-catalogue of Donovans Museum in 1818 includes as Lot 420 a birdof this siDecies to which is added the remark very rare; discovered in Scot-land; but this must not be taken to refer to the reputed Scottish specimen,though perhaps artfully intended to convey that meaning. When he had a reallyBritish specimen his words were expressly to the point. A later sale-catalogue inwhich the name of this species appears is too obviously fraudulent to requirefurther notice (r/. Ibis, 1S6-3, p. 375). WRYNECK. PICARIjE. 487 PICID^ Iynx torquilla, Linnaeus*.THE WRYNECK. Ynnx torquilla. Iynx, Linnceusf.—Beak .shorter than the head, hard, straight, nearly conical,sharp at the tip. Nostrils basal, linear, partly closed by a membrane. Tonguecapable of protrusion, the tip horny and smooth. Wings moderate ; the fiistprimary very short, the third or fourth longest. Tail rather rounded, of tenrectrices, with straight shafts and webs of ordinary character. Tarsi strong,slightly feathered in front above ; toes two before, and two behind, the fourth,which is turned backwards, about as long as the third ; claws much hooked,grooved and very sharp. The Wryneck is a well-known spring-visitor to thiscountry, though less often seen than heard ; for, from thetime of its arrival, usually in the first half of April, untilmidsummer or thereabouts, its monotonous cry, not unlike * Yunx (by mistake) torquilla, Linnteus, Syst. Nat. Ed 12, i. p. 172 (1766).t Yunx (by mistake) loc. II. 3 R 188 PI
Size: 1521px × 1643px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorsaun, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds
