EIDER DUCK. 323 



know the value of the down, and carry on a regular system of 

 plunder both of it and also of the eggs. The nest is generally 

 formed outwardly of drift grass, dry sea weed, and such like 

 materials, the inside composed of a large quantity of down 

 plucked from the breast of the female; in this soft elastic bed she 

 deposits five eggs, extremely smooth and glossy, of a pale olive 

 colour; they are also warmly covered with the same kind of 

 down. When the whole number is laid, they are taken away 

 by the natives, and also the down with which the nest is lined, 

 together with that which covers the eggs. The female once 

 more strips her breast of the remaining down, and lays a second 

 time; even this, with the eggs is generally taken away, and it 

 is said that the male in this extremity furnishes the third quan- 

 tity of down from his own breast; but if the cruel robbery be a 

 third time repeated, they abandon the place altogether. One 

 female, during the whole time of laying, generally gives half a 

 pound of down; and we are told, that in the year 1750, the Ice- 

 land Company sold as much of this article as amounted to three 

 thousand seven hundred and forty-five banco dollars, besides 

 what was directly sent to Gluckstadt.* The down from dead 

 birds is little esteemed, having lost its elasticity. 



These birds associate together in flocks, generally in deep 

 water, diving for shell fish, which constitute their principal food. 

 They frequently retire to the rocky shores to rest, particularly 

 on the appearance of an approaching storm. They are numerous 

 on the coast of Labrador, and are occasionally seen in winter as 

 far south as the capes of Delaware. Their flesh is esteemed by 

 the inhabitants of Greenland; but tastes strongly of fish. 



The length of this species is two feet three inches, extent three 

 feet; weight between six and seven pounds; the head is large, 

 and the bill of singular structure, being three inches in length, 

 forked in a remarkable manner, running high up in the forehead, 

 between which the plumage descends nearly to the nostril ; the 

 whole of the bill is of a dull yellowish horn colour somewhat 



* Letters on Iceland, by Uno Van Troil, p. Hf> 



