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 igin. ; wing 8'25 in. 



LONG-TAILED DUCK 



Fuligula glacialis {Linneeus) 



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 



