172 SPORT IN NORWAY. 



ing from time to time fresh down from her breast, . 

 which she heaps up so as to form a high embankment 

 round them, and to hide her from view while on the 

 nest. "When she leaves the nest in search of food, she 

 covers up the eggs with the loose down, as the male 

 bird takes no share in the process of incubation. If 

 the nest be robbed of its eggs, she will, in common 

 with other birds of the duck tribe, lay more; but 

 supposing that the first five are taken, she will lay 

 only three the next time; and if these be again re- 

 moved, she will only lay one egg. A traveller in Ice- 

 land says that he has been informed " that these birds 

 lay quantities of eggs ; and that it is usual to stick 

 a short piece of wood, of about a foot and a half long, 

 through the nest, and that the duck will keep on laying 

 till the top of the stick is hidden by the eggs ; and that 

 then she mounts up on the top, and begins sitting." 

 The author, however, seems inclined to doubt the 

 veracity of this statement. It is usual amongst the 

 Icelanders to take the down and the eggs twice, as a 

 matter of course, before the bird is allowed to sit ; but 

 after making her nest for the third time, she is so 

 nearly bare, that the male bird has now to contribute 

 towards the stock from his own breast. Should the 

 nest be robbed again, they quit the place, and never 

 return to it. The process of incubation takes from 

 four to five weeks. Their food consists principally 



