THE OBJECTS OF SPORT. 275 



the woods; the others retire on the approach of 

 summer. The duck and mallard, the black-duck, 

 the blue and green-winged teal, the raft duck, the 

 switch-tailed widgeon, and the summer duck, are 

 greatly esteemed for their flavor. This depends on 

 the quality and abundance of their food, which con- 

 sists, besides various living water grasses, of the 

 acorn of the quercus virens ; the kernel of the lotus ; 

 the seeds of several species of reeds and aquatic 

 plants ; above all, of the rice, which has shelled in 

 the field during harvest. There is a constant ten- 

 dency in this grain to degenerate into the volunteer 

 rice a variety, in which the pearly white color, so 

 valued in commerce, is changed into the red ; and 

 which has the further peculiarity of shedding the 

 grains before the fields are ripe enough for the 

 sickle. Thus, an unfailing supply of the choicest 

 food is provided for these winter visitors, who show 

 great adroitness in billing up the fallen grains from 

 the fields, when overflowed. When shot, their 

 craws are found loaded with rice. It may be he- 

 resy to dispute the supremacy of the canvas-back 

 duck of the Susquehannah, but I must say, that such 

 as venture as far south as 32 and 33, are not equal 

 in flavor to the rice-fed duck of this region. It may 

 be said, that the canvas-back is " off of his feed " 

 and it may be true ! but I doubt his superiority, 



