140 THE CANVASS- BACK DUCK. 



f lose-set, zigzag lines, on a pale ground, more or less sliadvi<S 

 off with ash," — a description much more applicable to tLe 

 red-head, which, very probably, is the species meant. 



In the figure of the pochard given by Mr. Bewick, who 

 is generally correct, the bill agrees very well with that of 

 our red-head ; but is scarcely half the size and thickness 

 of that of the Canvass-Back ; and the figure in the Plani-?ie» 

 Enluminees corresponds, in that respect, with Bewick's 

 In short, either these writers are egregiously erroneous in 

 their figures and descriptions, or the present Duck wa? 

 altogether unknown to them. Considering the latter sup- 

 position the more probable of the two, I have designated 

 this as a new species, and shall proceed to detail some par- 

 ticulars of its history. 



The Canvass-Back Duck arrives in the United States 

 from the north about the middle of October ; a few descend 

 to the Hudson and Delaware, but the great body of these 

 birds resort to the numerous rivers belonging to and in the 

 neighbourhood of the Chesapeake Bay, particularly the Sus- 

 quehanna, the Patapsco, Potomac, and James rivers, which 

 appear to be their general winter rendezvous. Beyond thia, 

 to the south, I can find no certain accounts of them. At 

 the Susquehanna, they are called Canvass-Backs ; on the 

 Potomac, White-Backs; and on James river. Sheldrakes. 

 They are seldom found at a great distance up any of 

 these rivers, or even in the salt-water bay; but in that 

 OftTticular part of tide water where a certain grass-like plant 



