THE BAY AND SEA DUCKS 



As I have already stated the ducks are divided into 

 two subfamilies, the one the Anatinae, commonly called 

 fresh-water ducks, the other the Fuligulinae, commonly 

 known as the salt-water ducks. A distinguishing feature 

 of the salt-water ducks is the little flap or web on the 

 hind toe, which is not seen in the fresh-water varieties. 



On our shooting grounds, however, whether the blind 

 is on the salt-water marsh or the fresh-water pond, both 

 kinds are sure to fall to the gun in almost equal num- 

 bers. Of the more common of the fresh-water varieties 

 the gadwall and the mallard are seen the least on the 

 salt marshes and the tide overflows, yet even these are 

 quite often met with in these places. So it is with the 

 salt-water species. All except the scoters are frequent- 

 ers of the mountain lakes, fresh-water ponds and over- 

 flow. The red-head, both species of the scaups, the 

 canvasback and the ruddy are commonly found on the 

 fresh-waters. The ring-neck, and, in fact, the red-head 

 are much more common on these waters than on the 

 salt or brackish marshes. 



With the exception, therefore, that certain species 

 always predominate at a given place at certain times 

 of the season, the sportsman's aim brings down a well- 

 assorted bag, let him shoot where he may, on marsh, 

 pond or overflow, from Washington to Mexico. 



THE CANVASBACK 



(Aythya vallisneria) 



The canvasback, the duck par excellence of the East- 

 ern states, is very plentiful in the more northern por- 

 tions of the territorial scope of these articles, though I 

 have seen them in good numbers on the lakes of Mexico. 

 It is the general supposition that the canvasback breeds 

 in the far north, but from the fact that they are found 

 on the lakes of Mexico as early as October, they must 

 also breed on the higher lakes of our mountains. On 

 our lower marshes they are a late duck, but they appear 

 on our mountain lakes quite early in the season. Can- 

 vasback shooting on our waters affords the finest of 

 sport, as it does not partake so much of flock shooting 

 as it does on the Chesapeake and the Delaware rivers. 

 While I certainly prefer our shooting, by no means do 

 I prefer our ducks. When killed on the mountain lakes, 

 our canvasback possesses nearly if not quite as fine 

 flavor as do those of the Eastern states, but when killed 

 on the bays and salt marshes of California they are 

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