243 



on St. Kilda, was found a soldier's red coat, and some 

 Molucca beans in another. 



They are thought the sharpest sighted of all sea. 

 fowls. They have a large gorget somewhat like a pe- 

 lican, in which one of them will preserve five or six 

 herrings entire, and carry them to her nest, where 

 they empty them out for food to their young. Nay, 

 they have been observed to go a fishing to some isles 

 which are thirty leagues distant, and bring the fish in 

 their gorget all that way. 



In the isle of Rona (one of the Scotch Western isles) 

 there are a couple of eagles, which the natives say, 

 not only drive away their young as soon as they 

 are able to fly, but keep possession of the island, 

 not suffering any of their kind to live there but them- 

 selves. 



There are also a couple of rarens in this island, 

 which beat away all ravenous fowls. And when 

 their own young are able to fly, they beat away them 

 likewise. 



That which in Iceland they call <he Down -bird, is 

 very remarkable: it is a species of duck, but covered 

 with fine soft downy feathers. The drake is full as 

 large as a goose, but the duck considerably smaller; 

 They abound all over Iceland, but particularly the 

 western part, on account of the islands off the coast, 

 where chiefly they build their nests : they build them 

 with the down they pull from their breast. They lay 

 four green eggs as large as a goose. The inhabitants 

 then take away both the eggs and the nest. Tlu: ducks 

 goto work again, pull more down from tjid breasts, 

 and lay four eggs more, which are again .*jicn away 

 by the inhabitants. This does not however discourage 

 the duck: she builds a third nest, and lays four more 

 eggs : but the drake is now obliged to supply the down, 

 the duck having none left. They now let her hatch her 

 young: for if they disturb her a third time, she builds 



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