THE EIDER DUCK. 147 



breeding in great numbers. Those which had not been long 

 upon their nest generally left it at our approach, but those 

 which had more than one or two eggs remained undisturbed, 

 allowed themselves to be handled, and sometimes even gently 

 used their bills to remove our hand. The nests were lined with 

 down, which the mother plucks from her own breast ; and near 

 at hand a sufficient quantity was piled up to cover the eggs 

 when she goes to feed, which is generally at low water. The 

 downs are twice removed, but sometimes the poor duck is 

 obliged to provide for a fourth lining; and when she has no 

 more to spare, the gander willingly deprives himself of part of 

 his showy snow-white and rose-red garment. The eggs, which 

 are considered a great delicacy, are also partially taken away. 

 Our Vidoe friend used to send us two hundred at a time. 

 When boiled, they are tolerably good, but always very inferior 

 to those of our domestic hen. When taken from the nest, the 

 downs are of course mixed with feathers and straw ; and to sort 

 and prepare them for sale is part of the winter employment of 

 the women. One nest furnishes about a quarter of a pound of 

 cleaned downs. The softness, lightness, and elasticity of these 

 feathers is universally known. A few handfuls of compressed 

 downs suffice to fill a whole coverlet, under which the north- 

 lander bids defiance to the strongest winter cold. Almost as 

 soon as the young have left the egg, the mother conducts them 

 to the water's edge, takes them on her back, and swims a few 

 yards with them, when she dives, and leaves them on the 

 surface to take care of themselves. As soon as they have thus 

 acquired the art of swimming, the duck returns and becomes 

 their leader. The broods often unite in great numbers, and 

 remain some weeks quite wild, after which they disappear. 

 Long before we left Iceland not a single duck was to be seen. 

 No one knows to what parts they migrate. The bird is found 

 on the Flannen Islands, to the west of Lewis ; it is seen on the 

 Shetland and Orkney Islands ; it breeds on May Island, at the 

 mouth of the Firth of Forth." Even on Heligoland the eider 

 duck sometimes makes its appearance, but not to breed. The 

 produce of the eider duck, either for personal use or as an 

 article of trade, contributes to the comforts of many northern 

 nations. The Esquimaux kill these birds with darts, pursuing 

 them in their little boats, watching their course by the air 



