THE FEATHERED GAME OF NORWAY. 173 



of mussels, shrimps, slugs, and crabs. Pontoppi- 

 dan asserts "that they are able to dive to a depth 

 of ten to twelve fathoms." But while feeding, they 

 are subject to great annoyance from the numerous 

 tribes of gulls, which, not being able to dive, avail 

 themselves of their labours, and the moment the duck 

 reappears on the surface with a shrimp or slug in its 

 mouth, pounce down, and carry it off. "While sitting, 

 their great enemies are the crows and ravens, which 

 some of the country people declare will pull the female 

 off the nest to get at the eggs. 



Some of the principal Aegge-Vser along the Nor- 

 wegian coast belong to the Lofoden group, and are also 

 to be found in the Varanger Fjord, a little to the east 

 of the North Cape. The last-mentioned places are the 

 property of the Amtman of Finmark, who farms them 

 out, receiving his rent in kind from the tenant 

 namely, five hundred pounds of half-cleaned down, and 

 two barrels of cloud-berries (Rulus chamsemorus) . 

 About twenty-five years ago, the produce from these 

 Aegge-Vser was about two hundred pounds of clean 

 down ; now it is little more than half that quantity, 

 though every possible care and precaution is taken to 

 protect the birds from injury. Not a gun is allowed 

 to be fired off within three miles of the breeding-places, 

 except once a year, when four reindeer out of a herd 

 belonging to the British vice-consul at Hammerfest 



