THE WATER-BIRDS. 243 



how the down is obtained in Iceland and Norway, and inci- 

 dentally carries an impressive lesson concerning what may be 

 accomplished by the kindly treatment of wild birds. "This 

 bird generally frequents low rocky islets near the coast, and 

 in Iceland and Norway has long been afforded every encour- 

 agement and protection, a fine being inflicted for killing it 

 during the breeding season, or even for firing a gun near its 

 haunts, while artificial nesting-places are in many localities 

 contrived for its further accommodation. From the care thus 

 taken of it in those countries it has become exceedingly tame 

 at its chief resorts, which are strictly regarded as property, 

 and the taking of eggs or down from them except by author- 

 ized persons is severely punished by law. . . . The nest is 

 generally in some convenient corner among large stones, hol- 

 lowed in the soil, and furnished with a few bits of dry grass, 

 sea-weed, or heather. By the time that the full number of 

 eggs (which rarely if ever exceeds five) is laid, the down is 

 added. Generally the eggs and down are taken at intervals 

 of a few days by the owners of the eider-fold, and the birds 

 are thus kept depositing both during the whole season ; but 

 some experience is needed to insure the greatest profit from 

 each commodity. Every duck is ultimately allowed to hatch 

 an egg or two to keep up the stock, and the down of the last 

 nest is gathered after the birds have left the nest. 1 ' 



The Fish-ducks, or Mergansers, are characterized by den- 

 ticulate mandibles, which have given them the name of 

 saw-bills. They are expert divers, living chiefly upon fish. 

 We have three species, two of which are commonly called 

 sheldrakes. The largest, to which the books give the name 

 of goosander, spends the winter as far north as possible, 

 usually in the larger rivers which have a current swift enough 

 to defy frost. They closely follow the ice as it retreats north- 

 ward in spring, and April finds them at their summer homes. 

 The red-breasted merganser is the sheldrake that reaches the 

 New England coast about the first of May. It is more com- 



