320 TEANSIT TRADE OF BALTIMORE. 



of chemical analyses, and will, no doubt, be altered as 

 soon as the members of the Legislature become a little 

 more enlightened as to the measures which are best to be 

 adopted, with the view of effectually bringing about the 

 important objects they have by this appointment so 

 laudably desired to accomplish. 



The city of Baltimore owes its prosperity in great part 

 to its position as the port from which the intercourse is 

 the quickest and most direct between the Atlantic and 

 Ohio, Kentucky, and the other north-western States, 

 to which the river Ohio is the principal highway. 

 Through Baltimore lies the shortest route also from New 

 York to St Louis in Missouri ; and hence much light 

 traffic, as well as many travellers, pass this way. Small 

 as the State of Maryland is, with a population of only 

 500,000, its exports and imports are exceeded by 

 those of only four States Massachusetts, New York, 

 Pennsylvania, and Louisiana and the greater part of 

 these pass through the port of Baltimore. This arises 

 from its being, like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and 

 New Orleans, a port of transit, and the extension of 

 railroad facilities must every year increase the amount 

 of this transit trade, and add to the commerce and wealth 

 of the port of Baltimore. 



I enjoyed at Eutaw s hotel an exceedingly good and 

 well-appointed private dinner with an agreeable small 

 party of scientific friends. Among the luxuries of the 

 season, for which Maryland is especially famous, we had 

 the canvass-back duck, a Maryland ham, and Maryland 

 apple-toddy. 



The canvass-back (Fuligula valisneria] breeds far 

 north on the Rocky Mountains, and descends to the 

 Atlantic shores about the beginning of November. It 

 is then found from the shores of Long Island to the 

 mouth of the Mississippi, but is more abundant south of 

 the Hudson. Its chief food is an aquatic plant, the 



