136 THE BRITISH NATURE BOOK 



drake in full plumage has a velvet-green head, and a white collar round the 

 throat. It is a common species, the nest being generally on the ground not far 

 from water, and hidden in long grass or other vegetation. Sometimes, however, 

 it may be placed in a tree, such as a pollarded willow. It is lined with grass, 

 etc., and the bird's down ; the eggs are greenish or grey. This is one of the 

 surface-feeding ducks, eating minute organisms, insects and larvae, worms, 

 slugs, small fish, etc. It is the species from which our " domesticated ducks " 

 have been derived. 



Eagle, Golden. This splendid bird (male 32 inches, female 35 inches) is 

 resident in Scotland, and possibly Ireland, nesting in trees or precipitous crags, 

 where the same site is used every year, so that the structure in time becomes an 

 enormous mass, composed of sticks and branches lined with grass and heather 

 and clumps of woodrush. Usually two eggs are laid, varying in colour white 

 or grey, with or without spots and marblings of red-brown. The bird feeds 

 on grouse, rabbits, and other small animals. The Eagle is recognized by its 

 legs feathered to the toes. [The rare " WHITE-TAILED " EAGLE has no feathers 

 on the legs, and the tail is white.] 



Upper parts chocolate brown ; head lighter brown, shading into gold on 

 the neck ; under parts generally chocolate colour ; the skin round eye and 

 toes is yellow ; the young are covered with white down. 



Whilst the Eagle is resident only in Scotland, it appears as an occasional 

 visitor even in the South of England. The bird utters a strange hoarse cry, 

 and also a note between a whistle and a whine. 



Eider, Common. A handsome bird ; the drake has much white about it, 

 a tinge of green on the nape of the neck, and a distinct pinkish colour on the 

 breast, the other coloration being a dark brown. The duck is uniformly brown. 

 Both sexes may be distinguished at all times by the way in which the feathers 

 of the face extend along the sides of the beak (see Fig. 172). The bird is a 

 resident on our coasts from Northumberland and Argyllshire upwards, but is 

 a very scarce winter visitor elsewhere. The nest is to be found close to the water 

 on islands, on the ground, where it is soon lined with the down for which 

 this species is famous. The eggs vary much in number, from four to eleven. 

 They are a large oval in shape, grey-green and olive-brown in colour. The 

 bird feeds chiefly on sea molluscs and small crustaceans. It utters a curious 

 wailing or mourning note, " Wow- wow-wow." 



Fulmar. This " petrel " is much like a Gull, but may be distinguished by 

 its curious tubular nostrils ; the back, wings, and tail are grey, the rest white. 

 It is generally distributed, but is seldom seen near land except in the breeding 

 season, when it visits the north isles and mainland of Scotland for that purpose. 

 It deposits its egg in a depression in the soil or turf, often on the ledges of 

 inaccessible cliffs, or on tops of stacks. One egg only is laid, white, coarse- 

 shelled, sometimes with faint red spots. 



The St. Kilda folk depend largely on this bird, for its oil and its flesh and 

 feathers. 



