TROMSO TO VARDO 19 
kindly introduced us to the merchant who has the rights 
over the Island of Horné, and he rowed us over to 
See it. 
This small island rises suddenly from the water, and is 
formed of mountain limestone seamed with quartz, on 
the ledges of which the sea-birds nest. 
Large numbers of eiders were swimming, flying, diving, 
and sitting on the rocks. After watching these birds for 
a long time in their awkward scrambling over the weed- 
covered rocks, one wondered how it came about that 
their feet and general build were not better adapted to 
their habits, for they slipped and tumbled about in the 
clumsiest manner. 
In vain I looked for the beautiful king eider. Whether 
they breed here or not I cannot say. Mr. Holmboe told 
me he did not know the bird. 
How wonderfully close the common eider sits. I 
photographed a duck at the distance of two paces. 
There were evidences, in scattered down and broken 
eggs, of a good deal of robbery on the part of the gulls. 
Of course an eider, when of her own accord she leaves 
her nest, covers up her eggs from sight. And this 
practice seems sufficient to defeat the gulls; though why 
a keen-eyed gull should not notice that which is patent 
to every one else is hard to understand. But, if a sitting 
duck is startled, away she goes without more ado, often 
scattering an egg or two over the edge of the nest. And 
this is the robber’s chance. 
