CONSERVATION OF THE EmER 



erable income, without any reduction of its 

 natural abundance. The principle of conser- 

 vation can as well be applied to the eider as 

 to a forest. The conservation of the common 

 eider of Europe {Somateria mollissima), a spe- 

 cies that differs but very slightly from the 

 American bird, has been practiced for many 

 years in Iceland and Norway. The birds are 

 rigidly protected during the nesting-season 

 and offered every encouragement. They are 

 not allowed to be shot, and even the dis- 

 charge of a gun in their vicinity is forbidden 

 by law. Suitable nesting-sites are furnished 

 close to the houses and the birds become semi- 

 domesticated, losing all fear of man. The peo- 

 ple are allowed to take the eggs and down 

 during the first of the season, but the birds 

 are permitted to hatch out and rear a few 

 young in order to keep up the stock. The last 

 down is taken after the birds have left. 



The following quotations from various au- 

 thors show what can be done in the conser- 

 vation of the eider and what a profitable and 

 pleasant business it may be made: "A per- 

 son," says Horrebow,^ "as I myself have wit- 

 1 Quoted by Nuttall. 

 305 



