The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-12-08
Elder Duck Farms aud Feathers.


The New York HeralGs corresponds
ent 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
hearingof the resorts of elder duck.
these ducks congregate in vast num-
bers. 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 Reykjavik 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
by 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 a 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, so
soft. and it is as springy as rubber Il
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-plnmage. The first
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 like the
first. The supply of down on the fe.
male is now exhausted, and she calls
on the drake, and from his down the
nest in which the eggs are Matched is
made. In case this nest should be
taken the bird seeks another nest-hiding
place. ~ aE s.
When taken from the nest the down
is full OF straw, chips, bits of mess and
Wads OF lichen, and must be cleaned
before it is fit for use. The machine
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 III 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. r i
fave 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 faf. north,
here is elder down half from killed
BIRDS and half from robbed nests and
here is elder (f) down taken. from
reese in Long Island and New Jersey
md sold to other members of the fam
~ in New York. The down from dead
birds or even the mixed dewn is with
'nt 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 If
vou dom purchase from the farmer di-
ect. Iceland down is q special grade
n the market and brings better prices
han any other at the annual auction
leld for its sale at Copenhagen. The
upply from Iceland is very limited,
nd only amounts to 1000, pounds per
ear. ssA s~s