190 THE IMPOETANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



The finest down is obtained from the bodies of 

 living birds, the feathers of dead birds being of 

 inferior quality because of the loss of a certain 

 softness and elasticity. The plucking is not done 

 by hand, but by the birds themselves during the 

 nesting season. The nest consists of a low struc- 

 ture of seaweed, lined with the soft feathers pulled 

 by the female from her breast, and in this down 

 are buried the four or five large pale-green eggs. 



When the entire clutch has been laid, the down 

 hunter cautiously approaches the sitting bird. 

 If she fails to depart of her own accord, he care- 

 fully removes her and helps himself to all the down 

 and all but one egg. Upon returning to the nest, 

 which she will not discard because of the remain- 

 ing egg there, the fem,ale deposits a second clutch, 

 having first, however, relined the cavity. This 

 again is despoiled. 



Although by this time the breast of the duck is 

 almost depleted of feathering, she does not appear 

 in the least discouraged. By hook or crook she 

 manages to glean a third covering of down for the 

 third clutch and settles comfortably to hatch the 

 eggs. The down hunter arrives on the scene. 

 He is now more circumspect in his actions. He 

 takes a peek at the denuded breast of the bird, 

 examines the quality of the down covering the 

 eggs, and decides whether she can stand a fourth 

 plucking. If not, the nest is left undisturbed 

 until the eggs are hatched and the ducklings have 



