212 THE DUCK. 



two dollars a pound in Lapland. It is extremely 

 fine, soft, and warm, and is so elastic that a quantity 

 which is sufficient to fill a bed quilt may be compressed 

 within the two hands. 



The Iceland Company, every year, bring from that 

 country from fifteen hundred to two thousand pounds 

 of this down. This they sell at Copenhagen, and 

 from thence it is distributed into every part of Europe, 

 and considerable quantities of it come to the northern 

 parts of America. 



The male Eider Duck is exceedingly attentive to 

 the female, while she is sitting on her eggs, and during 

 that time remains near the shore, swimming backwards 

 and forwards not far from the nest, to see that nothing 

 disturbs her. But as soon as the young are hatched, 

 he sails away and leaves the brood to take care of 

 themselves. 



The mother, however, has more feeling for her 

 young, and being thus entrusted with their care and 

 education, she proves herself a provident and faithful 

 parent. While they are very young, she takes care 

 to introduce them to the water, as the place on which 

 their after lives are chiefly to be spent. Having led 

 them to the edge of the water, she makes the whole 

 brood crawl upon her back, and then swims oflfa little 

 distance from the shore. She then dives, herself, thus 

 leaving her brood on the surface of the water, and 

 in this manner are they compelled to exercise them- 

 selves in swimming. After this, they are seldom seen 

 on the land, until they go there for the purpose of 

 rearing a brood for themselves. 



