THE EIDER DUCK. 
847 
contrast to tlie dark sea waves. To see and watch the 
male Eider Ducks from the summit of a breeding island 
is a sight which has not its equal. 
In Norway the down is only taken from the nests after 
the young have been hatched, whereas in Iceland the 
nest is robbed of its beautiful soft contents as soon as the 
bird has lined it. The female must now perform the 
self-denying operation a second time, and if she falls 
short of material the male makes up for the deficiency. 
The eggs also are taken, and the bird forced to lay twice 
or three times the normal number required. In Norway 
the people have more sense, and manage to make a good 
trade as well, for the eggs are hatched in three weeks, 
and the young immediately follow the mother to the 
water, when the down harvest can be gathered. It is 
a pretty sight to see the old mother conducting her brood 
to the sea. When the nest is situated near the shore the 
proprietor leaves the care of the young to the female, and 
she, as soon as the ducklings are half dry, waddles 
straight off with them towards the sea; when, however, 
the island is larger, and the Eider Ducks breed more 
inland, the careful owner puts the downy brood into a 
basket and carries them down to the water’s edge, while 
the old bird quietly waddles at his heels, following like a 
dog, apparently aware that the youngsters have only been 
taken from her so that they should be protected from the 
thieving Ravens and Skuas. When the youthful family has 
reached the sea its members are quite safe, for the duck¬ 
lings are at home there the instant they arrive, swimming 
and diving in the prettiest manner imaginable, soon 
learning to get their own living. Two or three mothers 
will often unite together with their families; the fathers, 
however, take no part in the education of the youngsters, 
5 T 
