WILD FOWL. 109 



Teals, rather than with the Mallards and Dusky Ducks. It 

 abounds in the Chesapeake, in company with the Canvass- 

 Backs, Red-heads, LoNCJ-TAiLED Ducks, and Shovellers. It 

 is there and throughout the west known as the Bald-pate, and 

 is esteemed excellent eating. The Gadwall — Anas Strepera — 

 and Shoveller — Anas Clypeata — have been noticed already. 

 They are common to the West, but scarcely in sufficient quan- 

 tities, though delicious birds, to be enumerated as game proper. 



THE AMERICAN WIDGEON. 



Anas Americana. — Vulgo, Bald-pate. 



*• This is a handsomely-marked and sprightly species, very 

 common in winter along our whole coast, from Florida to 

 Rhode Island, but most abundant in Carolina, where it frequents 

 the rice plantations. In Martinico, great flocks take short 

 flights fiom one rice-field to another, during the rainy season, 

 and are much complained of by the planters. The Widgeon is 

 the constant attendant of the celebrated Canvass-back Duck, 

 so abundant in various parts of the Chesapeake Bay, by the aid 

 of whose labor he has ingenuity enough to contrive to make a 

 good subsistence. The Widgeon is extremely fond of the 

 tender roots of that particular species of aquatic plant on which 

 the Canvass-back feeds, and for which that Duck is in the con- 

 stant habit of diving. The Widgeon, who never dives, watches 

 the moment of the Canvass-back's rising, and, before he has 

 his eyes well opened, snatches the delicious morsel from his 

 mouth, and makes off. On this account the Canvass-Backs and 

 Widgeons, or, as they are called round the bay, Bald-pates, 

 live in a state of peipetual contention ; the only chance the 

 latter have is to retreat, and make their approaches at con- 

 venient opportunities. They are said to be in great plenty at 

 St. Domingo and Cayenne, where they are called Vingeon, or 

 Gingeon. Are said sometimes to perch on trees ; feed in 

 company, and have a sentinel on the watch, like some other 



