DOWN, the fine feathers from the breasts of several birds, particularly of the duck kind.—That of the eider-duck (see AXAS, no 17.) is the most valuable. These birds pluck it from their breasts and line their nests with it. We are told that the quantity of down found in one nest more than filled the crown of an hat, yet weighed no more than three quarters of an ounce. Br. Zool.—Three pounds of this down may be compressed into a space scarcely bigger than one's fist; yet is afterwards so dilatable as to fill a quilt five feet square. Salern. Orn. p. 416.—That found in the nests is most valued, and termed live down; it is infinitely more elastic than that plucked from the dead bird, which is little esteemed in Iceland. The best sort is sold at 45 shillings per pound when cleansed, and at 16 when not cleansed. There are generally exported every year, on the company's account, fifteen hundred or two thousand pounds of both sorts, exclusive of what is privately exported by foreigners. In 1750 the Iceland Company sold as much in quantity of this article as amounted to three thousand seven hundred and forty-five banco-dollars, besides what was sent directly to Gluckstadt.—Von Trol. p. 146.
DOWN or hair of plants. See HAIR.