668 CLASS AVES. 



are informed by Olassen and Povelsen, in their voyage to 

 Iceland, that such statutes are no longer in force, and that 

 the number of eiders has sensibly diminished in the districts 

 of Kiosar and Gouldbring, in consequence of shooting them. 

 The toleration of such infractions of law must be very in- 

 jurious to a most important branch of commerce, especially 

 if, as many persons affirm, the down taken from the dead 

 bird has a certain degree of mucosity which renders it liable 

 to rot. It is also said to be less light than that of which 

 the female strips herself, the elasticity of which is so great, 

 that two or three pounds, which may be reduced to a small 

 pellet by pressing it with the hand, will dilate to such a 

 degree as to fill a large quilt. The dowTi must be collected 

 in dry weather, and care should be taken not to drive the 

 mother too hastily from the nest, lest she may leave her 

 dung upon the feathers. The inhabitants of the northern 

 countries often mix the down of other species with that of 

 the eider ; but the fraud is seldom perceived, as both have 

 equally the power of retaining the caloric. 



At the head of the subdivision Millouins of the text, 

 FuLiGULA, Dr. Leach, is the Anas Ferina, Pochard Duck, 

 Lath. Their flight is more rapid than that of the wild 

 duck ; and when these birds assemble in the air, they form a 

 kind of platoon, and not triangles. Being naturally ex- 

 tremely distrustful, they are approached with much difficulty. 

 As timid on land as they are courageous on water, they will 

 not admit the approach of any other duck, but drive them 

 away with strokes of the bill. When on shore, the least 

 danger makes them fly into the water, where they remain 

 during the night even when it freezes, but by agitating the 

 water, they prevent the ice from gathering around them. 

 This bird walks with difficulty, and is forced to use its wings 

 to preserve its equilibrium on land. Its cry has been com- 



