CANVAS-BACK. 273 



that which they partake of in the Chesapeake Bay, it is not im- 

 probable that the canvas-backs of that particular region may be 

 but a trifle inferior to those shot on the fresh-water shoals of the 

 North, where the Valisineria Americana flourishes in such pro- 

 fusion. 



THEIR SHYNESS. 



The canvas-back is an extremely shy and wary fowl, and very 

 difficult to approach, except by means of some cunningly-devised 

 stratagem, as there are always sentinels on the look-out for in- 

 truders, whether the mass of ducks be sleeping at night or feeding 

 during the daytime. When on the water, they may be distin- 

 guished at a great distance from other ducks by their constant 

 habit of diving, and when on the wing they fly in a wedge-like 

 form, with considerable velocity, and generally at a great height. 

 AVhen wounded, they dive very deep and swim immense distances 

 under water, thus baffling every effort of the most skilful dogs to 

 overtake them ; and the sagacious animals that are trained to this 

 kind of sport are perfectly aware of this circumstance, as they 

 seldom or never show any disposition to go after wounded canvas- 

 backs ; for they know full well, from hard-taught experience, the 

 utter impossibility of catching them, no matter how fast they may 

 swim or how deep they may dive in the pursuit. 



MODES OF TAKING CANVAS-BACKS. 



In detailing the various schemes and describing the innumerable 

 contrivances that the ingenuity of man has prompted him to adopt 

 for the purpose of circumventing and destroying this much-prized 

 duck, we will, ere finishing the subject, have pretty much ex- 

 hausted the whole material appertaining to wild-fowl shooting ; as 



it is to the taking of this particular variety that the energies of 



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