IN AUDUBON'S LABRADOR 



is a valuable article of trade." Bernhard 

 Hantzsch^ says: "In consequence of the spe- 

 cial protection which man everywhere exer- 

 cises over them their numbers seem slowly to 

 increase." 



Nelson Annandale " says: "The one offense 

 against the Icelandic bird-laws which a native 

 cannot commit with impunity is the slaughter 

 of the eider-duck. . . . What^ is more impor- 

 tant than many laws, namely public opinion, 

 protects the species, and there seems to be a 

 sentimental interest in it. . . . Probably it is 

 due to the great tameness of the bird, which 

 appears actually to seek the vicinity of a hu- 

 man dwelling for its nesting place and to fre- 

 quent those parts of the coast which are more 

 frequented by man. . . . The Icelandic eider- 

 farms are frequently situated on little islands 

 off the coast. Small circular or oblong erec- 

 tions of rough stones are made among the hum- 

 mocks, to protect the brooding ducks from 

 wind and driving rain. ... All the seafowl in 

 these farms become exceedingly tame, as no 

 gun is allowed to be fired and every thing lia- 



' Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Vogelwelt Islands. (1905.) 

 ' The Faroes and Iceland. (igo6.) 



310 



