342 AMEKICAN GAME. 



and behind the posterior angle of the eye. Forepart of 

 breast, belly, and vent dull, silvery gray ; flanks and 

 under tail coverts darkish, glossy, mouse colored. Scap- 

 ularies, wing-coverts and tertials, dull brownish black ; 

 secondaries broadly-banded with white, forming the 

 speculum ; primaries jet black, under-wing coverts 

 silvery mouse colored.* 



Measurements. Head 5 inches, tip of bill to nape ; 

 bill 2 4-10 ; length, to tip of tail, 24 inches ; to tip of 

 claws 25J ; length of tarsus 1 7-10 ; length of middle 

 toe 2 6-10 ; length of wing 9 j ; length of middle tail 

 feathers 2 1-5 ; extent 27 inches. 



The male bird weighs from 2 J ta 3 pounds ; and differs 

 from the female only in weight, size, greater distinctness 

 of colors, and hue of the legs. 



This duck, for its size, weight and power on the wing, 

 when in full flight, is very easily stopped with moderate 

 sized shot ; and is almost equal on the table as I have 

 observed above, to the canvas-back. "With decoys, 

 immense sport might be had off these birds in the rice- 

 lakes which they frequent ; and with or without them, I 

 would desire no better fun, than to be, under this clear 

 moon beneath which I pen these lines, in a fleet birch- 

 bark canoe, with my old friends An-oon-ge-zhig, and the 

 " Young Owl," to paddle me upon the fowl among the 

 solitary rice-lakes of the lovely Matched ash. My life on 

 it, if we should sleep on hemlock tips with a camp-fire 



