THE WATER-BIRDS. 



241 



This beautiful bird seems in danger of extermination, an 

 event to be deplored by every lover of Nature. Special effort 

 should be made to protect it in its nesting sites and to prevent 

 its being shot during the spring season. 



Our most popular duck is undoubtedly the Canvas-back, 

 famed among epicures for its delicate flavor, resembling that 

 of celery. This is due to feeding on a water-plant known as 

 wild celery ( Vallisnena), and is not acquired till the birds get 

 to the Chesapeake region, where the plants grow abundantly. 

 Canvas-backs from Chesapeake Bay bring a much higher price 



HEAD OF OLD SQUAW DICK. 



than those from other localities. Except for its peculiar appe- 

 tite in the one instance of wild celery, the canvas-back's menu 

 shows no appreciable difference from that of the group just 

 treated of. 



An associate and relative of the canvas-back is the Red-head, 

 another excellent table bird. In both size and color there is 

 such a strong resemblance between the two that dislionest 

 market-men have been known to impose on customers, not 

 well informed in ornithological matters, by selling red-heads 

 for canvas-back. The Ring-neck and the Greater and Lesser 



