Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1893 — The Eider-Duck. [ARTICLE]

The Eider-Duck.

In a country so poor as Iceland the down of the eider-duck is an appreciable source of wealth, and the bird has been practically domesticated. Close to every little handel-stad, or trading station, if there Is a convenient island, there is sure to be a colony of eider-ducks, and the birds are to be seen by hundreds swimming and fluttering about their island home, or squatted upon its shores in conscious security from the foxes which infest the mainland. From the largest of these “duekeries” as much as three hundred pounds is cleared annually, the down being worth about a sovereign per po‘und on an average. The ducks make their nests among the rough hummocks characteristic of all grassland in Iceland, laying their large olivegreen eggs upon neat little beds of down, “so soft and brown.” They are perfectly tame, allowing themselves to be lifted off their eggs tad replaced with only a few querulous notes of remonstrance. When the Dest has been repeatedly robbed of the down, and the poor duck finds difficulty in replacing it, the drake comes to the rescue and recognizes his paternal responsibility by furnishing a supply of down from his own breast. The “Teeth” on a Razor's Edge. The edge of a razor consists of innumerable points or “teeth,” which, if the razor is of good material, follow each other throughout Its whole length with great order and clearness. The unbroken regularity of these minute “teeth” go to make up the blade's excessive keenness. The Vlge acts upon the beard not so

much by direct application or weight or force as it does by a alight “seesatf" movement, which causes the successive “teeth” to act rapidly on one certain part of the hairy growth. The best razors, according to the microscopists, have the teeth of their edges set as regularly as those of a perfectly set saw. This explains the magic effect of hot water on the razor’s blade —the act of dipping it thoroughly Cleansing the teeth of any greasy or dirty substance with which they may have been clogged. Barbers often claim that razors “get tired” of shaving, and that they will be all right after awhile if permitted to take a rest. When in this “tired” condition a microscopic examination of the edge shows that constant stropping by the same person has caused the teeth or fibers to arrange themselves in one direction. A month of disuse causes these line particles to rearrange themselves so that they again present the heterogenous, sawtoothed edge. After this little recreation each particle of the fine edge is up and ready to support his fellow, and it again takes some time to spoil the grain of the blade.—St. Louis .Republic.