ANATIDA — FULIGULINZ: SEA DUCKS. 703 
E. of the Mississippi and along Atlantic Coast; breeds in high latitudes, winters in U. S. 
One of the commonest market-ducks in eastern cities in winter, selling readily for eanvas- 
back, and more likely to be distinguished 
therefrom with the feathers on than off! 
Nest on ground, or among reeds over water 
like a coot’s, down-lined. Eggs 7-8, buff, _ 
2.25 X 1.70. — 
ARISTONETTA. 
F. vallisne'ria. (Name of a genus of 
aquatic plants, the wild celery, V. spiralis, dedicated to 
Antonio Vallisneri, an Italian naturalist. Figs. 485, 489, 490.) 
CANVAS-BACK. Adult ¢: The head close-feathered. Bill 
high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened 
toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line 
with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a 
goose’s in shape; decidedly longer than head, 24 inches to 
nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the cuimen; the 
nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way 
from upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, 
but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. 
Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark 
reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite 
blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back 
white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars 
much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to 
break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains of dots across 
the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently : 
: = : wes Fic. 489. — Canvas-back, } nat. 
several shades lighter than in the red-head. Other characters  gi7¢ (From nature by J. L. Ridg- 
substantially as in that species. Q differs as Q red-head does; way.) 
head dark snuffy-brown, ete., but the bill is colored as in the @, and sufficiently preserves its 
peculiar shape; eyes 
reddish-brown. Size 
of the red-head, or a 
little larger; tarsus 
1.75; bill longer, as 
above ; culmen much 
over 2 inches; gape 
about 2.67; line from 
upper corner to tip 
nearly or quite 3.00, 
of which distance the 
nostrils reach half 
way. N. Am. at 
large; breeds from 
the northern tier of 
States northward, in 
the R. Mts. further 
south, and in upper 
California; winters in 
Fig. 490. — Canvas-back. (From Lewis.) the U. S. and south- 
