CLASS II. AYES: OEDEE 8. NATATORES. 
321 
"~"<^vV. O-J^l 
EIDER DUCKS. 
hand, will swell out to sucli an extent as to fill and distend the foot-covering of a laro-e bed. 
The best kind, termed live-down, is that which the Eider plucks to line the nest; the down taken 
from the dead bird is greatly inferior, and it is rare that so valuable a bird is now killed for the 
purpose. To augment the quan- 
tity of down from the same bird, 
the eggs, which are very palat- 
able, are taken and eaten, and the 
female again strips herself to 
cover the second and smaller 
hatch. If the nest be a second 
time plundered, as the female 
can furnish no additional lining, 
the male now lends his aid, and 
strips the coveted down from his 
breast, which is well known by 
its paler color. The last laying, 
of only two or three eggs, is al- 
ways left to kindle their hopes 
of progeny, for if this be taken 
they will abandon the place ; but 
thus indulged, they continue to 
return the following year, ac- 
companied by their young. The 
most southern breeding place of 
this species in Europe is the Fern 
Isles, on the coast of Northum- 
berland; and voyagers who have ventured to the dreary extremity of Arctic Europe, hear, in sum- 
mer, from the caverns and rocks of the final cape, the deep moan of the complaining Eider. The 
eggs are commonly five or six, but it is not unusual to find upward of ten in the same nest, which is 
thus occupied peaceably by two females. In Norway and Iceland the Eider districts are considered 
as valuable property, carefully preserved, and transmitted by inheritance. There are spots that con- 
tain many hundreds of these nests, and the Icelanders are at the utmost pains to invite the Eiders, 
each into his own estate ; and when they perceive that they begin to frequent some of the islets which 
maintain herds, they soon remove the cattle and dogs to the main-land, to procure the Eiders an 
undisturbed retreat ; and to accommodate them, sometimes cut out holes in rows on the smooth 
sloping banks, of which, to save themselves trouble, they willingly take possession and form their 
nests. These people have even made many small islands for this pui-pose, by disjoining promon- 
tories from the continent. It is in these retreats of peace and solitude that the Eiders love to 
settle ; though they are not averse to nestle near habitations, if they experience no molestation. 
'A person,' says Horrebow, 'as I myself have witnessed, may walk among these birds while they 
are sitting and not scare them ; he may even take the eggs, and yet they will renew their laying 
as often as three times.' According to the relation of Sir George Mackenzie, on the 8th of June, 
at Vidoe, the Eider-Ducks, at all other times of the year perfectly wild, had now assembled in 
great numbers to nestle. The boat by which they approached the shore passed through multi- 
tudes of these beautiful birds, which scarcely gave themselves the trouble to go out of the way. 
Between the landing place and the governor's house the ground was streAvcd with them, and it 
required some caution to avoid treading on the nests. The drakes were walking about, uttering 
a sound very like the cooing of doves, and were even more familiar than the common domestic 
ducks. All round the house, on the garden wall, on the roofs, and even in the inside of the 
houses, and in the chapel, were numbers of ducks sitting on their nests. Such as had not been 
long on the nest generally left it on being approached ; but those that had more than one or two 
eggs sat perfectly quiet, suffering us to touch them, and sometimes making a gentle use of their 
bills to remove our hands. When a drake happens to be near his mate, he is extremely ao-itated 
Vol. II.— 41 
