EIDER DUCK FARMS. 



The Fluffy Feathers Gathered in Iceland. 



LL ACCOUNTS I have read 

 about Eider Ducks say that 

 nests are robbed of their 

 down twice, the duck 

 supplying it each time 

 from her own body ; the third time 

 the drake gives his white down, and 

 this is allowed to remain, declares a 

 writer in Good Words. But I was 

 told by farmers in Iceland that 

 now they never take the down until 

 the little ones are hatched. It has 

 been found that the birds thrive better 

 and increase faster when they are 

 allowed to live as nature meant them 

 to. So now the poor mothers are 

 no longer obliged to strip themselves 

 of all their down to refurnish their 

 despoiled nests. Sometimes, if the 

 quantity is very great, a little may be 

 taken, but enough must be left to 

 cover the eggs when the duck leaves 

 her nest for food. 



A writer from Iceland, in speaking 

 of a visit to one of the Isafjord farms, 

 wrote : " On the coast was a wall 

 built of large stones, just above high 

 water level, about three feet high and 

 of considerable thickness at the 

 bottom. On both sides of it alternate 

 stones had been left out so as to form 

 a series of square compartments for 

 the ducks to make their nests in. 

 Almost every compartment was occu- 

 pied, and as we walked along the 



shore a line of ducks flew out, one 

 after another. The house was a 

 marvel ; the earthen walls that sur- 

 round it and the window embrasures 

 were occupied with ducks. On the 

 ground the house was fringed with 

 ducks. On the turf slopes of the roof 

 we could see ducks, and ducks sat on 

 the scraper." 



About 10,000 pounds of eiderdown 

 are gathered annually in Iceland, 

 7,000 being exported to foreign 

 countries. Formerly the peasants 

 used to receive over 21 shillings a 

 pound, but the price has now fallen to 

 half that amount. The peasants sel- 

 dom receive money, and are obliged 

 to barter their down for merchandise 

 furnished by the Danish merchants at 

 the little settlements at the fjords. A 

 pound and a half of down is enough 

 to fill an ordinary bed-puff. These 

 ver)' comfortable articles are found in 

 the guest room of every Iceland farm, 

 however poor and small it may be. 

 After a long, hard day in the saddle 

 the traveler longs for warmth and 

 shelter. These little guest rooms have 

 never had a fire in them, and built, 

 as they are, on the ground, there is a 

 dreadful chill on them. Once tucked 

 away in bed, and tired bones lose their 

 pains and stiffness, however, and well 

 covered with the down-puff, a delight- 

 ful sense of comfort follows. 



