82.  WRYNECK. Yunx torquilla, Linnaeus.  French, “Torcol ordinaire.”—­The Wryneck, or, as it is called in Guernsey-French, “Parle"[14] is generally a numerous summer visitant to the Islands, arriving in considerable numbers, about the same time as the mackerel, wherefore it has also obtained the local name of “Mackerel Bird.”  It is generally distributed through the Islands, remaining through the summer to breed, and departing again in early autumn, August, or September.  Its numbers, however, vary considerably in different years, as in some summers I have seen Wrynecks in almost every garden, hedgerow, or thick bush in the Island; always when perched, sitting across the branches or twigs, on which they were perched, and never longways or climbing, as would be the case with a Woodpecker or Creeper; and the noise made by the birds during the breeding-season, was, in some years, incessant; this was particularly the case in the early part of the summer of 1866, when the birds were very numerous, and the noise made was so great that on one occasion I was told that the Mackerel Birds seriously interrupted a scientific game of Croquet, which was going on at Fort George, by the noise they made; I can quite believe it, as, though I was not playing in the game, I heard the birds very noisy in other parts of the Island.  This last summer, however (1878), I saw very few Wrynecks—­only four or five during the whole of the two months I was in the Islands, and hardly heard them at all.

It is included in Professor Ansted’s list, but only marked as occurring in Guernsey and Sark.  There are two specimens in the Museum.

83.  HOOPOE. Upupa Epops, Linnaeus.  French, “La Huppe,” “Huppe ordinaire.”—­The Hoopoe, as may be supposed from its geographical range and from its frequent occurrence in various parts of England, is an occasional visitant to the Channel Islands during the seasons of migration, occurring both in spring and autumn with sufficient frequency to have gained the name of “Tuppe” in Guernsey-French.  Though occurring in spring and autumn, I am not aware that it ever remains to breed, though perhaps it might do so if not shot on every possible occasion.  This shooting of every straggler to the Channel Islands is a great pity, especially with the spring arrivals, as some of them might well be expected to remain to breed occasionally if left undisturbed; and the proof of the Hoopoe breeding in the Channel Islands would be much more interesting than the mere possession of a specimen of so common and well-known a bird:  if a local specimen should be wanted, it could be obtained equally well in autumn, when there would be no question as to the breeding.  The autumn arrivals seem also to be most numerous, at least judging from the specimens recorded during the last four or five years, as Mr. Couch records one, a female, shot near Ronseval, in Guernsey, on the 26th of September; and another also in Guernsey, shot on the 23rd of September;