146 THE CANVASS-BACK DUCK. 



that time on their way from the north, when this floating feaHI 

 attracted their attention, and for a while arrested them in 

 their course. A pair of these very Ducks I myself l-^" - lit 

 in Philadelphia market at the time, from an Egg Harboi 

 gunner, and never met with their superior, either in weight 

 or excellence of flesh. When it was known among those 

 people the loss they had sustained in selling for twenty-five 

 cents what would have brought them from a dollar to » 

 dollar and a half per pair, universal surprise and regret were 

 naturally enough excited. 



The Canvass-Back is two feet long, and three feet in 

 extent, and, when in good order, weighs three pounds ; the 

 bill is large, rising high in the head, three inches in length, 

 and one inch and three-eighths thick at the base, of a glossy 

 black; eye, very small; irides, dark red; cheeks and fore part 

 of the head, blackish-brown ; rest of the bead and greater 

 part of* the neck, bright glossy reddish chestnut, ending in a 

 broad space of black that covers the upper part of the breast, 

 and spreads round to the back ; back, scapulars, and ter- 

 tials, white, faintly marked with an infinite number; of 

 transverse, waving line€ or points, as if done with a pencil ; 

 whole lower parts o2 the breast, also the belly, white, 

 slightly pencilled in the same manner, Bcarcely perceptible 

 on the breast, pretty thick towards the vent; wing-coverts, 

 gray, with numerous specks of blackish; primaries and 

 »eoondaries, pale slate, two or three of the latter of whick 

 IMarest the body are ^ely edged with deep velvelj blaoky 



