NOTES ON THE FAUNA OF ICELAND. 257 



imitating other ducks, -which, as a rule, lead their young to the 

 edge of the water, and, entering it before them, encourage them 

 to follow in their wake. It may be observed, however, that 

 when a Wild Duck, Anas hoschas, nests, as not unfrequently 

 happens, at a height from the ground (as, for example, in a 

 pollard or on the top of a stack), she carries down her young 

 when hatched either on her back between the uplifted wings, or 

 else in her bill. — Ed.] One seldom sees these birds on land 

 afterwards, for they generally live on the damp rocks in the sea, 

 and feed on insects and sea-weeds. 



One female, during the whole time of laying, generally gives 

 half a pound of down, which is, however, reduced to one half 

 after it is cleansed. The down is divided into thong-dmin (sea- 

 weed down) and gras-dimn (grass-down). The last sort is thought 

 to be the best, and is cleansed in the following manner : — some 

 yarn is streaked in a square compartment round a hoop, on which 

 the down is laid. A pointed piece of wood is then moved back- 

 wards and forwards on the lower side of the yarn thus streaked, 

 which causes the coarser feathers to fall through, while the fine 

 down remains on the yarn. 



Down plucked from dead Eider-birds is of little worth, 

 because it has then lost the greatest part of its elasticity; 

 for this reason it is of little value in Iceland. The other sort is 

 sold at forty-five fish a pound when cleansed, and at sixteen fish 

 when not cleansed. There are generally exported every year 

 on the Company's account 1500 or 2000 pounds of down, 

 cleansed and not cleansed, exclusive of what is privately 

 exported by foreigners. In the year 1750 the Iceland Com- 

 pany sold as much in quantity of this article as amounted 

 to 3745 banco-dollars, besides what was sent directly to 

 Gluckstadt. 



Among the land-birds that are eatable. Ptarmigans are not 

 to be forgotten, and are caught in great numbers. Falcons, 

 also, abound in the island, of which there are three sorts : they 

 are purchased by the royal falconers, who give fifteen dollars 

 a-piece for the white, ten for those that are darker, and seven 

 for the grey. 



ZOOLOGIST. — JULY, 1887. X 



