EIDER DUCK. 
133 
them. The natives of those countries know the value of the down, 
and carry on a regular system of plunder both of it, and also of 
the eggs. The nest is generally formed outwardly of drift grass, 
dry sea-weed, and such like materials, the inside composed of a 
large quantity of down plucked from the breast of the female ; in 
this soft elastic bed she deposits five eggs, extremely smooth and 
glossy, of a pale olive color; they are also warmly covered with 
the same kind of down. When the whole number is laid, they 
are taken away by the natives, and also the down with which the 
nest is lined, together with that which covers the eggs. The fe- 
male once more strips her breast of the remaining down, and lays 
a second time ; even this, with the eggs, is generally taken away, 
and it is said that the male in this extremity furnishes the third 
quantity of down from his own breast ; but if the cruel robbery be 
a third time repeated, they abandon the place altogether. One 
female, daring the whole time of laying, generally gives half a 
pound of down; and we are told, that in the year 1750, the Ice- 
land Company sold as much of this article as amounted to three 
thousand seven hundred and forty-five banco dollars, besides what 
was directly sent to Gluckstadt.* The down from dead birds is 
little esteemed, having lost its elasticity. 
These birds associate together in flocks, generally in deep 
water, diving for shell-fish, which constitute their principal food. 
They frequently retire to the rocky shores to rest, particularly on 
the appearance of an approaching storm. They are numerous on 
the coast of Labrador ; and are occasionally seen in winter as far 
south as the capes of the Delaware. T heir flesh is esteemed by the 
inhabitants of Greenland; but tastes strongly of fish. 
The length of this species is two feet three inches, extent 
three feet ; weight between six and seven pounds ; the head is 
large, and the bill of singular structure, being three inches in 
VOL, VIII. 
Letters on Iceland, by Uno Van Troil, p. 14G. 
2 L 
