make their appearance on tlie 10th day of October. It was a very singular fact, 

 hut we could always be certain of seeing some of these ducks at that date ; no 

 matter what the weather may have been up to tliat time, and even if the season 

 had been unusually cold, these birds did not apjiear before the 10th. The lake 

 contained plenty of wild rice and celery, and before it was closed by ice the 

 canvas-back would become very fat upon this food, and were not surpassed in 

 delicacy of flavor by any shot upon the famed waters of the Chesapeake. Like 

 the redheads and some other diving ducks, the can\as-back keeps out on deep 

 water and rafts together in great numbers, seeking their food at the bottom. 

 Their feet, although large and powerful, are not of much assistance in descend- 

 ing to the depths, but the wings are the bird's chief reliance for propulsion, and 

 it flies imder water as it does in the air, and the feet are employed mainly for 

 guiding and altering the course. This method of propelling itself under water 

 is not by any means the sole attribute of the canvas-backs, for not only do many 

 other ducks act in the same way. but difl^erent species of water birds, not 

 ducks, also. 



The flight of the canvas-back is not probaljly exceeded in swiftness b\- that 

 of any other duck, and under favorable circumstances it will doubtless accom- 

 plish one hundred miles an hour. It generally flies in a direct line as if it knew 

 exactly where it was going, and often at a great height. Its method of flying 

 resembles very closelv that of the redhead, and it moves along in extended 

 lines. 



The canvas-back is a brave bird, and fears' no enemy of the air. possibly 

 depending in a measure upon its great skill in diving. If a bald eagle comes 

 sailing over a raft of ducks floating on the broad water, as I have often wit- 

 nessed, the birds will rise is one vast cloud and go circling about, settling after 

 their dread enemy has passed on. But the canvas-back is not in the cloud, nor do 

 the flocks of that bird swell in dimensions, but it keeps quietly about its occu- 

 pations in company with the swans and geese if any present, utterly indiflferent 

 to the movements of the other ducks. The call of the canvas-back is the same 

 harsh, guttural note as that uttered by the redhead, and is usuall_\- heard when 

 the birds are gathered together on the water. When flying it is generally silent, 

 although sometimes it will utter this note when approaching decoys or other 

 ducks rafted on the sounds or rivers. This species does not bear many popular 

 names in addition to that at the head of this article. Occasionally it is called 

 "canvas" simply, or white-back and bull-neck, and in the \icinity of New Orleans 

 canard cheval or horse duck, 



.\lthough. as I have already said, when this duck has fed for a time on the 

 wild celery its flesh is sujierior to that of all other fowl, yet, when deprived of 

 this, it is about as poor a bird as flies, not equal in any way to the mallard or 

 other mud ducks that obtain their usual food where they may. It is this fact 

 that makes such a diiiference in canvas-backs when served on the table. Only 

 those brought from localities where the wild celery grows have any qualities 

 superior to the ordinary run of ducks. It is generally supposed that only 



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