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down). The laft fort is thought to
be the beft, and is cleanfed in the following
manner: fome yarn is ftreak-
ed in a fquare compartment round
a hoop, on which the down is laid.
A pointed piece o f wood is then
moved backwards and forwards on
the lower fide of the yarn thus ftreak-
ed, which caufes the coarfer feathers
to fall through, while the fine down
remains on the yarn.
Down plucked from dead eider-
birds is o f little worth, becaufe it
has then loft the greateft part of its
elafticity ; for this reafon it is o f
little value in Iceland. The other fort
is fold at forty-five fiili a pound when
cleanfed, and at fixteen fiih when not
cleanfed. There are generally exported
every year on the company’s account
1500 or 2000 pounds o f down
cleanfed and not cleanfed, excluiive
of what is privately exported by foreigners.
In the year 1750, the Iceland
company fold as much in quantity
of this article, as amounted to 3747
rix-dollars, befides what was fent di-
reHly to Gluckftadt.
Among
Among the land birds that are eatable,
ptarmigans are not to be forgotten,
and are caught in great numbers.
Falcons alfo abound in the ifland, o f
which there are three forts ; they are
purchafed by the royal falconers, who
give fifteen rix-dollars each bird for
the white, ten for thofe that are dark-
coloured, and feven for the grey.
K z L E T T E R