136 
NATURAL HISTORY - . 
are usually built among heath or rushes, not far from the 
water ; and they lay twelve, fourteen, or more eggs before 
they sit ; yet this is not always their method ; the dangers 
they continually encounter from their situation, sometimes 
oblige them to change their manner of building ; and their 
awkward nests are often seen exalted on tiie tops of trees. 
This must be a very great labour to perform, as the duck’s 
bill is but ill-formed for building a nest, and giving the ma- 
terials of which it is composed a sufficient stability to stand 
the weather. The nest, whether high or low, is generally 
composed of the longest grass, mixed with heath, and is 
lined within with the bird’s own feathers. The Kidev duck is 
particularly remarkable for the warmth of its nest. This 
bird, which, as was said, is above twice us large as the 
common duck, and resides in the colder climates, luys from 
six tq eight eggs, making her nest among the rocks or the 
plants along the sea shore. The external materials of the 
nest are such as are in common with the rest of the kind ; 
but the inside lining, on which the eggs are immediately 
deposited, is at once the softest, warmest, and the lightest 
substance with which we are acquainted. This is no other 
than the inside down which covers the breast of the bird 
in the breeding season. This the female plucks off with her 
bill, in order to line the inside of her nest. The natives 
watch the place where she begins to build, and, suffering 
ber to lay, take away both the eggs and the nest. The duck", 
however, not discouraged by the first disappointment, builds 
and lays in the same place a second time, and this they in 
the same manner take away : the third time she builds, but 
the drake must supply the down from his breast to line the 
nest with : and, if this be robbed, they both forsake the 
place, and breed there no more. This down the natives 
take care to separate from the dirt and moss with which it 
is mixed : and, though no people stand in more need of a 
warm covering than themselves, yet their necessities compel 
them to sell it to the more indolent and luxurious inhabit- 
ants of the south, for brandy and tobacco. 
As these animals possess the faculties of flying and switn- 
ming, so they are in general birds of passage, and it is most 
probable perform their journeys across the ocean as well on 
the water as in the air. Those that migrate to this country, 
on tile approach of winter, are seldom found so well tasted 
or so fat as the fowls that continue with us the year round : 
their flesh is often lean, and still oftener fishy ; which 
flavour it has probably contracted in the journey, as their 
food in the lakes of Lapland, whence they descend, is ge- 
nerally of the insect kind. 
