THE CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 407 



ing, disappearing completely from the surface of the 

 water, and re-appearing with the food in their mouths. 

 Their food, the Valisneria spiralis, is a bulbous plant 

 which grows in deep water in some inland lakes and 

 bays. The plant is described scientifically as follows: 



" Valisneria spiralis. A genus of plant remarkable 

 on account of the very curious manner in which the pro- 

 cess of fertilization is effected. A perennial herb, bearing 

 a tuft of thin, narrow, green, grass-like leaves. The two 

 sexes are borne on separate plants. The male flowers are 

 extremely minute and sensile, but when mature they 

 become detached and rise to the surface of the water. 

 The female plants, on the other hand, are borne singly on 

 the end of a long, slender, spirally -twisted stalk, uncoils 

 more or less, according to the depth of the water, so as 

 to allow .the flower to float on the surface, where it 

 expands, and is fertilized by the floating pollen, after 

 which the spiral stem coils up again and conveys the 

 flowers to the bottom of the water." 



Mr. E. Hough, in a recent communication to the Forest 

 and Stream, having investigated the Valisneria spiralis 

 in its home, thus writes of it: 



During a recent visit to Lake Koshkonong, Wis- 

 consin, I had opportunity to learn something of the wild 

 celery which gives that lake such a reputation as a resort 

 for the canvas-back duck. In company with Mr. W. Y. 

 Wentworth, superintendent of the Blackhawk Club, and 

 Mr. Buane Starin, perhaps the best-known shooter of 

 that locality, I went out on the lake, and was shown how 

 the wild celery seeds are gathered from the bottom of the 

 lake for that is where they must be gathered, if at all. 

 These gentlemen probably have more practical knowl- 

 edge of the wild celery plant and its seed than anyone 

 else, for they used to sell the seed to parties wishing to 

 plant waters to wild celery. They experimented for 

 themselves, and found that the seed taken from the bot- 

 tom of the lake would grow, and they have heard from 



