THE CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 271 



my port oar. I did not have a gun with me, so lost 

 a chance which I should have much liked to avail 

 myself of. From curiosity to learn how near I could 

 possibly get to these generally very timid birds I 

 altered my course, and actually for ten minutes, if not 

 more, pulled after them, and although I frequently 

 came within a few yards, could not force them to take 

 the wing. To explain this unusual circumstance, I 

 have but one elucidation to offer, viz., that they had 

 just arrived from a long migratory journey from the 

 north, and the fatigue they had suffered temporarily 

 incapacitated them from flight. 



CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 



The canvas-back duck, considered by many to be 

 the greatest delicacy of all American game, is a mag- 

 nificent bird about the size of the mallard, and not 

 unlike in plumage the English widgeon. However, 

 there is a marked characteristic by which they never 

 can be mistaken, namely a dip in the centre of the 

 bill, while the upper portion of it runs very far over 

 the forehead. 



t. Rearing their young during summer upon the edge 

 of the arctic circle, no sooner do indications of 

 approaching winter occur, than on rapid and powerful 

 wing they sweep down the line of coast, seldom 

 ceasing their flight till the estuary of the Delaware 

 or Chesapeake bay are reached ; many continuing 

 their course southward even to the marshes of 

 Louisiana, and the swamps on the sea-boundary of 

 Texas. 



On the Pacific coast they also swarni within the 



