A DESERTED COUNTRY. 65 



season. The parent birds try to feed them in small pools and 

 channels until at last, one fine day, the. frost drives them south- 

 ward. Even then the young ones cannot always' keep up with 

 the older birds, and frozen eider-ducks, especially young birds, are 

 often to be seen lying on the ice of the Arctic Ocean. 



In what purposes to be a description of the Arctic regions, the 

 eider-duck is entitled to particular mention, for it is without doubt 

 the most interesting bird of the northern coasts. By nature 

 exceedingly shy, it is, when preserved and kindly treated, the 

 tamest of all the sea-birds. In Iceland, where its value is recog- 

 nized, it has become a domesticated bird, and naturally seeks 

 human society. If it is wished to start an eider colony up there, 

 the proceeding is as follows : a place must be chosen on one of the 

 islands where a stream has its outlet to the fjord, and small 

 houses or coops made of flat stones, or similar material, in 

 which the birds can build their nests. At the entrance to the 

 house are planted some sticks or small birch-branches, from which 

 are hung bits of coloured rag, glittering shells, or anything else of 

 the kind that comes to hand ; for the daughters of Eve, even when 

 they are eider-ducks, will have their finery, and are fond of home 

 comforts. Outside on the fjord, at the mouth of the stream, are 

 moored a couple of decoy-ducks. Farther up the stream is placed 

 a mill-wheel, and this usually has a little bell on it, to make the 

 birds believe that there are human beings in the neighbourhood. 

 Then the duck appears on the scene, and building is soon in 

 operation. It is not long before she is joined by the drake, who 

 guards the nest faithfully, until the eggs are hatched, when he goes 

 off to sea. The duck sits on the nest the whole while, and she it 

 is who plucks her breast time after time for its sake; but the 

 drake defends it, and that sometimes with prowess, especially 

 against that arch-stealer of eggs, the raven. He disposes of him 

 by towing him out to sea, and diving with him till he is dead, and 

 often till long afterwards. 



It has been said that the eider-duck eats spawn, and that, 

 consequently, they do harm to the fishing, but this is hardly 

 the case; they live chiefly on marine plants at the bottom of 

 the sea. 



VOL. i. F 



