THE DUCK FAMILY. 29 



above the high-water level, about three feet in height 

 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 

 nest in. Almost every compartment was occupied, and 

 as we walked along the shore a long line of ducks flew 

 out, one after the other. The surface of the water also 

 was perfectly white with drakes, who welcomed their 

 brown wives with loud and clamorous cooing. The 

 house itself was a marvel. The earthen walls that 

 surrounded it and the window embrasures were oc- 

 cupied by ducks. On the ground the house was 

 fringed with ducks. On the turf slopes of its roof we 

 could see ducks, and a duck sat on the door-scraper. 

 The grassy banks had been cut into square patches, 

 about eighteen inches having been removed, and each 

 hollow had been filled with ducks. A windmill was in- 

 fested, and so were all the outhouses, mounds, rocks and 

 crevices. The ducks were everywhere. Many were so 

 tame that we could stroke them on their nests; and 

 the good lady told us that there was scarcely a duck on 

 the island that would not allow her to take its eggs 

 without flight or fear. Our hostess told us that when 

 she first became possessor of the island the produce of 

 down from the ducks was not more than fifteen pounds 

 in a year ; but that under her careful nurture of twenty 

 years it had risen to nearly one hundred pounds an- 

 nually. Most of the eggs are taken and pickled for 

 winter consumption, one or two only being left in each 

 nest to hatch." 



