fin 



W Eyder Duck. 



several hours. On the door of the coop 

 being opened, they rushed out, threw them- 

 selves into a single rank and file, and 

 marched with rather a quick step, three or 

 four times around a certain space, constant- 

 ly bowing their heads to the ground, than 

 elevating them and fluttering their wings ; 

 the ceremony finished, they quickly ad- 

 journed to the water. I have laughed a 

 thousand times at the conceit with which my 

 boyish imagination was imprest, namely, 

 that the a€t which I had witnessed, was 

 nothing less than a duckish thanksgiving for 

 deliverance. 



The social and conversing qualifications 

 of ducks indeed receive a degree of coun- 

 tenance from the relations of ornithologists. 

 The habitudes of the Eyder ducks, so va- 

 luable for their down, which frequent the 

 lakes of northern countries, are thus de- 

 scribed ; the ducks flying in the air, are 

 lured down from the heights by the loud 

 voice of the mallard below- , w^hich nature 

 seems to have furnished with powerful or- 

 gans for vociferation. To this call all strag- 



