458 Mr. Selby on the Birds of the Farn Islands. 



by their name, and which as an article of luxury produces an ex- 

 orbitant price. This consideration however has hitherto been lost 

 sight of, and the eggs of the Eider have been taken indiscrimi- 

 nately with those of the Gull, Guillemot, &c. and sold for a 

 mere trifle to the inhabitants of the Main. In consequence, the 

 young annually produced have been few, and those only of the 

 later or second hatchings. The last season however proved more 

 fortunate to all the feathered inhabitants of the Islands, as they 

 were protected from extensive depredation by the gentleman em- 

 ployed as architect to erect another light-house upon one of the 

 exterior and leeward rocks, to replace the one now in use, which 

 is found to be situated too much in the centre of the cluster to 

 answer eflfectually its intended purpose. A very numerous brood 

 of all the species, but particularly of the Eiders, was the conse- 

 quence of this care, and as the young are supposed to return with 

 the old birds to the same breeding stations, a few years under simi- 

 lar circumstances would encrease their numbers to a considerable 

 extent. About April the Eiders are seen assembling in groups 

 along the shores of the main land, from whence they cross over 

 to the Islands early in May. As soon as the females begin to lay, 

 which is usually about the 20th, the drakes leave them, and 

 again spread themselves along the adjoining coast. The usual 

 number of eggs is five, of a pale asparagus green, and not much 

 inferior in size to those of a goose. The nest is composed of a few 

 rents or fine sea weed, and as incubation proceeds, a lining of 

 down, plucked by the bird from her own body, is added ; this 

 increases from day to day, and at last becomes so considerable in 

 quantity, as to envelope and entirely conceal the eggs from view, 

 no doubt contributing by its effect as a non-conductor of heat to 

 the perfect evolution of the foetus. The young as soon as hatched 

 are conducted to the water, and this in some instances must be 

 effected by the parent carrying them in her bill, as I have fre- 

 quently seen the nest placed in such situations as to preclude the 

 possibility of its being done in any other way. Incubation lasts a 

 month. The food of the Eider consists of the young of the dif- 

 ferent Mytili that cover the rocks, and other species of bivalves. 

 They are only to be reared with difficulty in confinement, and 



