174 SPORT IN NORWAY. 
and the proprietor are shot; on which occasions, an 
experienced Lapp is brought off from the mainland, 
with whom to miss would be an indelible disgrace. 
Moreover, no one is allowed to land there without 
special leave from the proprietor. 
When the time approaches for the eggs to be 
hatched, people are kept on the watch; for the down 
ought to be taken before twenty-four hours have elapsed 
from the time when the young ones leave the shell, and 
should rain fall on it, it is spoiled. 
On an average, each nest yields about one ounce of 
cleaned down. As soon as all the down has been 
taken from the nests, the grass and dirt are carefully 
picked out with the hand; but there are always so 
many broken pieces of birch twigs intermixed with it, 
that recourse is had to another expedient. The down 
is either spread out to the influence of the sun, the 
heat of which is‘ great in those northern latitudes, or 
else slowly baked in ovens. The twigs thus become 
quite brittle. The down is next laid on smooth boards, 
and rolled with a heavy rolling-pin, which treatment 
effectually breaks up the brittle wood, and reduces it 
to dust. It is next placed on a frame in shape some- 
thing resembling a French bedstead, across the bottom 
of which are arranged laterally pieces of packthread, 
at intervals of about one-quarter of an inch, and is 
stirred quickly backwards and forwards with two light 
