EIDERDOWN INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1942, Page 6

EIDERDOWN INDUSTRY

PRODUCTIVE BREEDING SEASON FOR DUCKS. PROTECTION OF BIRDS. OTTAWA. Eider ducks along the northern shore of the Gulf of St Lawrence had a very productive breeding season in 1941, according to the report on the annual bird protection patrol of the region, carried out by an official of the Canadian Department of Mines and Resources. The collecting, cleaning, and marketing of eiderdown by residents also showed satisfactory progress. This is accomplished without harm to the ducks, and by adding to the income of the inhabitants, heightens their interest in protecting these birds. Eiderdown, particularly from this area, is regarded as the finest insulating commodity for the manufacture of comforters and quilts, for interlining of coats, and for many other domestic uses. Persons engaged in marketing the eiderdown do so under authority from both the Dominion and Quebec Governments.

In addition the patrol inspected ten bird sanctuaries maintained by the Department on islands bordering the coast of the Gulf of St Lawrence where thousands of sea-birds nest each summer. The annual check-up revealed that the puffins, mures, razor-billed auks, guilletmots, several kinds of gulls and terns, as well as other varieties, had experienced a successful breeding and rearing season. An abundance of food for sea-going birds was a great contributing factor.