THE BUCK. 



alarm, and plunge with great precipitancy into the water ; but 

 the ducks generally remain sitting on their nests, or merely fly 

 to the distance of a yard or two, and on an attempt to touch 

 their eggs, return in a rage. Many of them suffer themselves 

 to be handled, and can only be removed by actual force from 

 their nests. In some parts of the island, where they are more 

 particularly attended to, they build their nests on the roofs of 

 the houses, and become quite familiar with the inhabitants." 



The nest of the bird, which is carefully made of its own 

 down, is plundered by the natives as soon as the duck has laid 

 its first eggs, which are all taken. This is again repeated once 

 or twice ; but generally, if the nest is robbed more than two or 

 three times, the birds leave the spot altogether. It must be a 

 lucrative business for the Icelajiders, for the merchants will 

 give from twelve to fourteen shillings a pound for the down, 

 and the eggs are the staple food of many a poor cottager. The 

 down is remarkable for lightness and warmth ; and is princi- 

 pally manufactured into coverings for beds. Thus, many of uj 

 lay on the feathers plucked from the back of a living bird ; 

 and are covered with the down that is robbed from the nest of 

 another. 



The way in which the eider-duck initiates her young brood 

 in the art of swimming, is by carrying them out on her back 

 and, suddenly diving, leaves them to their own resources, ap- 

 pearing again a little distance further on, and encouraging 

 them to swim towards her. 



Light-coloured ducks are always of milder flavour than their 

 darker brethren ; and those which are reared exclusively on 

 vegetable diet will have whiter and more delicate flesh than 

 those allowed to feast on animal offaJ. The flesh of birds fat- 

 tened on animal food wDl be firmer than the other, and have a 

 gamy flavour. The ancient notion that ducks whose beaks 

 have a tendency to curve upward are better layers than another 

 sort is simply absurd — all ducks are good layers if they are 

 carefally fed and tended. Ducks generally lay in the night or 

 early in the morning. While she is in perfect health she will 

 do this ; and one of the surest signs of indisposition among 

 birds of this class is irregularity in laying. 



The eggs laid will invariably nearly approach the colour of 

 the layer, — ^light-coloured ducks laying white eggs, and brown 

 ducks greenish-blue eggs. Dark-coloured ducks lay the largest 

 eggs. One time of day the notion was prevalent that a duck 

 would hatch no other eggs than her own ; this is not true ; 

 30 



