The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-02
AN ElDER-puck FARM.
How the Farmer Repays tho Confidence OF
tho Trusting Birds.


How the Farmer Repays the Confidence of
tho Trusting Birds.
The colonies Of breeding elders often
consist of an immense mum Der of birds,
and the nests lie SO thiclzly together
that it is often difficult to avoid stepping
into them. They are usually placed at
some slight elevation; and here in
faint depression the duck COLLECTS
small quantity of seaweed and drift
stuff. which She forms into felty mass
with her breast Upon this four or five
eggs are laid in tho course of a week,
these being of pale green color, and
rather resembling those of tho heron.
Even before the last egg is laid it is
seen that few feathers arc scattered
about the nest and as incubation pro-
cecds these increase in quantity. Tho
bird covers tho eggs with down pluclled
from her breast, and this she docs day
by day until very considerable quaint
lty burios the eggs 1t is this down
which has become such an important
article of commerce. If the elders are
Matching under ordinary conditions, the
young appear in about twenty-six days,
and almost Immediately betake
themselves to the water. 1t is here
that they sun themselves, feed and
sleep On rock-bound bit of coast it
is interesting to watch tho ducklings
padding among the stones and feeding
upon the tiny bivalvcs that are common
among the bays and inlets These re-
marks refer to the breeding of wild
elders; but unfortunately colonies of
birds under natural conditions are be-
coming moro and moro rare every year.
The commercial collector has every
where stepped in, and is putting ter
rlble drain upon the species.
In Norway this bird is protected by
law, though only to be prosecuted the
more persstcntly by private individu-
ais. On one island, that of lsafiardar-
jup, cider ducks are said to nest in thou
sands. Speaking of the breeding sights
by the shore Mr.. Shepherd, who visited
the colony, tells us that the brown
ducks sat upon their nests in masses.
and at every step started from beneath
his feet On this island, of three-uuar-
tiers of mile in length, it was difficult
to walk without stepping into the nests
thick stone breakwater ran along it's
coasts just above high water mark.
At tho bottom and sides of
tho wall alternate stones had
been left out, SO as to
form series of compartments for tho
ducks to nest in. Every compartment
was tenanted, and as tho visitors walked
along the ducks flew out all along the
line. These were welcomed by tho
white brakes, which were tossing on
tho water with loud and clamorous
cooling" A farm house on the island
was tenanted in like manner. The
house itself was "a great marvel"
Ducks were Matching on the turf walls
which surrounded it, in the window en-
brasurcs, on tho ground, on tho roof.
The house was fringed with ducks and
duck sat in the scraper Then a
grassy bank close by was cut into
squares. every one of which was occu-
pied. windmill was packed, as was
every available object on the island
mounds, rocks, crevices. This was an
eider-down farm. So tame were the
stroke them as they sat on their nests
VI course there is another side to this
pleasant picture, as we see when VIC
learn how the good lady, of
the island repays the confidence
VI tne plruS ana here 1T Is by an
other observer: THE cider down is
easily collected, as the birds arc quite
tame. The female having laid five or
six pale, greenish-olive eggs. in nest
thicSly lined with her beautiful down,
the collectors, after carefully removing
the bird, rob tho nest of its contents,
after which they replace her. She then
begins to lay afresh-though this time
only three or four cggs-and again has
recourse to the down on her body. But
her greedy prosecutors once mouA rifle
her nest and oblige her to line it for
the third time. Now, however, her own
stock of down is exhausted, and with a
plaintive voice sho calls her mate to her
assistance. who willingly plucks the soft
feathers from his breast to supply the
deficiency If the cruel robbery be again
repeated, which in former time was fire.
quently the case, the poor elder duck
abandons the spot never to return, and
seeks for new home whore she NAV
indulge her maternal instinct undis-
turbed by the avarice of man."-Corn-
hill Magazine.
PLANT INTELLIGENCE.