CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 



Ay thy a vallisneria (Wils.). 



The adult male has the top of the head and the feath- 

 ers immediately about the base of the bill and chin, 

 black; the rest of head and neck are reddish-brown, 

 what would be called in a horse, mahogany bay. The 

 lower neck, fore-back and breast, black. The back, 

 lower breast and belly, white, very finely waved with 

 black bars ; whence the name, canvas-back. Primaries, 

 black. The tail, black, with a grayish cast ; bill, black ; 

 iris, red ; feet, lead color. 



The female has those parts which in the male are 

 red, brown and black, wood-brown, with touches of 

 whitish behind the eye, and on the fore-neck. The 

 plumage, generally, is grayish-brown, the tips of the 



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