THE CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 161 



boat discreetly hidden in the rushes makes an excel- 

 lent blind, but it must be well hid, and as near the open 

 water as possible. The shooter requires a hard hitting 

 gun ; a 10 ga. is the proper size, loaded with 5 dms. 

 powder, well wadded, and 1 1-8 oz. No. 4, 5 or 6 chilled 

 shot, No. 4 being the best size. Being swift flyers, 

 the hunter should hold two feet further ahead than his 

 inclination prompts him to do. 



Anas Valeineria. Fuligula Valeineria. 



Adult Male. Bill black, the . length about three 

 inches, and very high at the base ; fore part of the 

 head and throat dusky, irides deep red; breast brownish 

 black. Adult male with the forehead loral space, throat 

 and upper part of the head dusky ; sides of the head, 

 neck all round for nearly the entire length, reddish 

 chestnut ; lower neck, fore part of the breast and back 

 black ; rest of the back, white, closely marked with un- 

 dulating lines of black ; rump and upper tail coverts, 

 blackish ; primaries and secondaries, light slate color ; 

 tail short, the feathers pointed ; lower part of the breast 

 and abdomen white ; flank same color, finely ' pen- 

 cilled with dusky ; lower tail coverts blackish brown, 

 intermixed with white. Length, 22 inches; wing, 

 91-4. 



Female. Upper parts grayish brown ; neck, sides 

 and abdomen the same ; upper part of the breast brown ; 

 belly white, pencilled with blackish ; rather smaller 

 than the male, with crown blackish brown. 



Weight of male 3 3-4 Ibs ; of female, 2 34 Ibs. 



