CANVAS BACK. 151 



ment, as if telling them that he knew they were there, 

 and that they had better follow him, but giving not the 

 slightest indication of any intention to halt. It is such 

 times as these that try the sportsman's nerve and skill, 

 and to stop by a well-aimed shot, and roll over one such 

 bird stone dead in the air, when whirling along at such 

 terrific speed, compensates him for a number of previous 

 misses. 



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 witnessed, the birds will rise in 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 flocks of that bird swell its dimensions, but it keeps 

 quietly about its occupations in company wath the Swan 

 and Geese if any are present, utterly indifferent to the 

 movements of the other Ducks. The call of the Canvas 

 Back is the same harsh guttural note as that uttered by 

 the Red Head, and is usually 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 vicinity of New 

 Orleans, Canard Cheval or Horse Duck. 



Although, as I have already said, when this Duck has 

 fed for a time on the wild celery its flesh is superior to 

 that of all other Fowl, yet, when deprived of this, it is 

 about as poor a l)ird as flies, not equal in any way to 

 the Mallard or other mud Ducks that obtain their 



