The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-11-19
Elder Duck Farms and Feathers.

The New York Herdld's corresponds
emf with the United States steamer
Alliance gives an interesting account Of
one of iceland's peculiar Industries.
By long and rigid enforcement OF a
law AGAINST the use of firearms within
hearing of the resorts of elder duck,
these ducks congregate in vast mum,
hers. The owners of most of the duck
farms are engaged in fishing, and all
the refuse of the Goldfish dressed on the
islands is thrown out on the water for
the ducks to eat. Some of the farmers
have lately retired from the codfishing,
which in the vicinity of Reyklavik is no
longer good; but still the ducks come
and build their nests, but not IN such
GREAT numbers as before. When one
sees the treatment the birds get their
annual return is strange an unaccounta.
BILE, for they are systematically robbed
bv the island owners. In the spring.
when the ducks swarm here to search
out places between the rocks to build
nests in, they, having selected suita
BILE site, pluck the down from their
breasts-that soft, silky down famous
the world over as the warmest and
softest of coverings. Felt between the
fingers it resembles floss silk, it is SC
soft, and it is as springy as rubber. A
great bulk of it can be compressed into
an incredibly small space, and when re-
eased after long time it resumes its
original size. This first plucking is
very abundant, for the bird is prepar.
ing for warm weather and is prodigal'
of its thick under-plumage. The frs
nest is stolen by the farmers, and the
bird, finding it gone, finds still enough
down upon its breast to construct an
other, which in turn is taken ike the
first. The supply of down on The fe'
male is now exhausted, and SIZE CALI
on the drake, and from his down the
nest in which the eggs are hached ia
made. In case this nest Should be
taken the bird seeks another nsst-hiding
place.
When taken from the nest the down
is full of straw, chips, bits Of moss and
wads of lichen, and must be cleaned
before it is fit for use. The machind
used in the process of cleaning is of the
most primitive kind, and consists of a
sort of harp made of coarse strings OF
raw seal hide, over which the nest is
rubbed. In this operation the dust IS
driven out, and the room in which it
is performed is as cloudy as the card
ing room of an old oakum walk. The
chips of straw, moss and lichen fall
through, and only the down remains
under the rubbing hand of the operator.
Even in the matter OF elder down there
is discrepancy between the real thing
and the received notions about il.
have seen elder down presented for sale
N New York which was pure white,
while the real article is dark slate
color, and when viewed at q distance
oOks not unlike the fur of the blue fox.
There is elder down and elder down.
There is elder down taken from birds
hat have been killed in the far north,
here is elder down half from killed
birds and half from robbed nests and
here is elder (p) down taken from
geese in Long Island and New Jersey
md sold to other members of the fam.
ly in New York. The down from dead
birds or even the mixed down is with
)ut the virtue of the nest-robbed article
md there is so much adulteration prac.
iced in the business that, even in Ice
and, you are liable to be imposed on il
you don't purchase from the farmer di-
rect. Iceland down is special grade
n the market and brings better prices
han any other at the annual auction
held for its sale at Copenhagen. The
supply from Iceland is very limited,
and only amounts to 1000 pounds pc
year.