THE EIDER DUCK. 147 
breeding in great numbers. Those which had not been long 
upon their nest generally left it at our approach, but those 
which had more than one or two eggs remained undisturbed, 
allowed themselves to be handled, and sometimes even gently 
used their bills to remove our hand. The nests were lined with 
down, which the mother plucks from her own breast; and near 
at hand a sufficient quantity was piled up to cover the eggs 
when she goes to feed, which is generally at low water. The 
downs are twice removed, but sometimes the poor duck is 
obliged to provide for a fourth lining; and when she has no 
more to spare, the gander willingly deprives himself of part of 
his showy snow-white and rose-red garment. The eggs, which 
are considered a great delicacy, are also partially taken away. 
Our Vidoé friend used to send us two hundred at a time. 
When boiled, they are tolerably good, but always very inferior 
to those of our domestic hen. When taken from the nest, the 
downs are of course mixed with feathers and straw; and to sort 
and prepare them for sale is part of the winter employment of 
the women. One nest furnishes about a quarter of a pound of 
cleaned downs. The softness, lightness, and elasticity of these 
feathers is universally known. A few handfuls of compressed 
downs suffice to fill a whole coverlet, under which the north- 
lander bids defiance to the strongest winter cold. Almost as 
soon as the young have left the egg, the mother conducts them 
to the water’s edge, takes them on her back, and swims a few 
yards with them, when she dives, and leaves them on the 
surface to take care of themselves. As soon as they have thus 
acquired the art of swimming, the duck returns and becomes 
their leader. The broods often unite in great numbers, and 
remain some weeks quite wild, after which they disappear. 
Long before we left Iceland not a single duck was to be seen. 
No one knows to what parts they migrate. The bird is found 
on the Flannen Islands, to the west of Lewis; it is seen on the 
Shetland and Orkney Islands; it breeds on May Island, at the 
mouth of the Firth of Forth.” Even on Heligoland the eider 
duck sometimes makes its appearance, but not to breed. The 
produce of the eider duck, either for personal use or as an 
article of trade, contributes to the comforts of many northern 
nations. The Esquimaux kill these birds with darts, pursuing 
them in their little boats, watching their course by the air 
