BIRDS MET WITH BY THE WILDFOWLER 317 
tance from the ground, the old hole of a Black Woodpecker 
being frequently made use of in Scandinavia. The Lapps, in 
order to obtain the eggs of this and other kindred species, 
place nest-boxes in the pine and birch woods, the majority of 
which are tenanted by this species. It has never been known 
to nest with us. 
The male has the head and upper neck glossy greenish 
black, with a conspicuous white oval patch under each eye; 
the rest of the upper parts, except the scapulars, black ; 
scapulars, a large wing patch, and under parts white. Bill 
bluish black. Legs yellow, with black webs. The female is 
smaller in size and lacks the white on the face. The neck and 
breast are greyish. The young in first plumage are similar 
to the female. Length from 17 to 1g9in.; wing 8°25 in. 
LONG-TAILED DUCK 
Fuligula glactalis (Linneus) 
Like many other of our Ducks, this is a species which breeds 
in the north and only migrates to this country in winter. It is 
fairly numerous in the north of Scotland and neighbouring 
islands, and there is some proof that it may occasionally have 
made its home in the Shetlands. On our east coast mature 
and immature examples are regularly shot, especially in severe 
winters, and this has occurred also in the north of Ireland. 
It is much rarer over the rest of our islands. 
With most diving ducks, its food consists of crustaceans and 
molluscs, and during the winter it is rarely found inland ; in 
the nesting season, however, it lives on small meres and 
ponds, feeding chiefly on aquatic vegetation. 
In its plumage this species is somewhat peculiar. It 
assumes in October a black-and-white plumage, in which the 
head and neck are white except for a brownish grey patch on 
the cheeks and an oval patch of dark brown on each side of 
