CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 249 



Length to end of tail, 20|^ inches ; extent of 

 wings, 30J; weight, 2|- pounds. 



No one species of the whole duck tribe so 

 sorely puzzles the uninitiated to secure as the 

 wary, gamey, and highly-prized canvas-back. The 

 mallard and the various other shoal-w^ater ducks 

 he frequently finds opportunities for " bush-whack- 

 ing " along the shallow edges of the ponds and 

 sloughs where there may be sufficient cover ; or 

 he may catch them flying low down over the 

 narrow creeks or bushy points, where, if he is 

 sufficiently skilful, he may also manage to secure 

 a brace or two. With the deep-water varieties, and 

 the canvas-back most especially, the case is decidedly 

 different. They are too well contented to sit tan- 

 talizingly out of reach near the middle of the 

 open w^aters, and rarely venture into the smaller 

 ponds, where they would be obliged to sit in too 

 close proximity to the shores, knowing far too 

 well the danger to be apprehended from such a 

 proceeding. The art here, then, is not simply 

 to aim straight and pull the trigger at the proper 

 moment, but it is also to know how to approach 

 them, or induce them to approach you within 

 gunshot, with least loss of time and labor. 



From the circumstance of the lake-shores being 



