THE CANVASBACK 333 



may deserve the praise accorded them, but many 

 epicures will tell us that there are several of 

 the ''river ducks" of far greater merit when 

 all are confined to the usual duck diet. In such 

 case the Canvasback is said to be a very ordi- 

 nary table bird. 



This species is marked much like the redhead ; 

 the shape of the bill and head differing, and the 

 general tone of the bird's plumage is lighter. 

 The bill of the Canvasback is blackish, as long 

 or longer than the head, high at the base and 

 rather narrow throughout its entire length. 

 The line of the profile of bill and head are al- 

 most one, in contrast to the bulging forehead 

 and arching crest of the redhead. For his col- 

 oring, the male has a red head, — lacking the 

 loose-feathered and puffy appearance of his 

 cousin's topnot, — the color brownish in tone, 

 with none of the coppery lustre shown by the 

 redhead ; the same color extends down over the 

 upper neck; on the crown and about the base 

 of the bill darkening to dusky brown. Above, 

 a light silver gray or whitish, with fine black 

 lines across the feathers, here closely resem- 

 bling the redhead, as also on the lower neck, 

 breast and upper back, the colors of wing and 



