CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 107 



particular part of tide water where a certain grass-like plant grows, on 

 the roots of which thej feed. This plant, which is said to be a species 

 of Valis7ieria, grows on fresh-water shoals of from seven to nine feet 

 (but never where these are occasionally dry), in long narrow grass-like 

 blades of four or five feet in length ; the root is white, and has some 

 resemblance to small celery. This grass is in many places so thick 

 that a boat can with difficulty be rowed through it, it so impedes the 

 oars. The shores are lined with large quantities of it torn up by the 

 Ducks, and drifted up by the winds, lying like hay in windrows. 

 Wherever this plant grows in abundance the Canvas-backs may be 

 expected, either to pay occasional visits or to make it their regular resi- 

 dence during the winter. It occurs in some parts of the Hudson ; in 

 the Delaware near Gloucester, a few miles below Philadelphia ; and in 

 most of the rivers that fall into the Chesapeake, to each of which par- 

 ticular places these Ducks resort ; while in waters unprovided with this 

 nutritive plant they are altogether unknown. 



On the first arrival of these birds in the Susquehanna, near Havre- 

 de-Grace, they are generally lean ; but such is the abundance of their 

 favorite food, that towards the beginning of November they are in pretty 

 good order. They are excellent divers, and swim with great speed and 

 agility. They sometimes assemble in such multitudes as to cover several 

 acres of the river, and when they rise suddenly, produce a noise resem- 

 bling thunder. They float about these shoals, diving and tearing up the 

 grass by the roots, which is the only part they eat. They are extremely 

 shy, and can rarely be approached unless by stratagem. When wounded 

 in the Aving they dive to such prodigious distances, and with such 

 rapidity, continuing it so perseveringly, and with such cunning and 

 active vigor, as almost always to render the pursuit hopeless. From 

 the great demand for these Ducks, and the high price they uniformly 

 bring in market, various modes are practised to get within gunshot of 

 them. The most successful Avay is said to be, decoying them to the 

 shore by means of a dog, while the gunner lies closely concealed in a 

 proper situation. The dog, if properly trained, plays backwards and 

 forwards along the margin of the water, and the Ducks observing his 

 manoeuvres, enticed perhaps by curiosity, gradually approach the shore, 

 until they are sometimes within twenty or thirty yards of the spot where 

 the gunner lies concealed, and from which he rakes them, first on the 

 water and then as they rise. This method is called tolling them in. If 

 the Ducks seem difficult to decoy, any glaring object, such as a red 

 handkerchief, is fixed round the dog's middle, or to his tail, and this 

 rarely fails to attract them. Sometimes by moonlight the sportsman 

 directs his skiff towards a flock whose position he had previously ascer- 

 tained, keeping within the projecting shadow of some Avood, bank, or 

 headland, and paddles along so silently and imperceptibly as often to 



