f 256 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



( the roots of the Yalisineria as the Canvass-Backs ; but not 

 1 being as strong as this fowl, thej are not able to dive deep 

 1 enough to seize the stock sufficiently near the bottom to insure 

 ( pulling the plant up by the roots. These Ducks, however, are 

 ^ always seen feeding with the Canvass-Back, and supply this 

 1 deficiency in their physical construction to the adaptation of 

 ( their wants by a singular boldness and ingenuity for acting the 

 t part of skulking poachers. They attentively watch every op- 

 1 portunity to seize upon the delicate morsel the very moment 

 t the Canvass-Back makes his appearance on the top of the 

 1 water with the root in his mouth, and then, swimming off" 

 rapidly to a convenient distance, quietly enjoys the stolen re- 

 1 past, unmolested by his good-tempered opponent, who soon 

 c dives down again for another root. 



f Among these cunning poachers, none are more conspicuous 

 I than the Eed-Heads and Bald-Pates, both of which are always 

 \ found feeding in company with the Canvass-Back, and at the 

 ^ height of the season are not very far inferior to these Ducks; 

 and it oftentimes puzzles the best judges to distinguish one 

 from the other. "We have seen the Epicurean taste of some of 

 our sporting friends put to the test on this point more than 

 once, and the mistakes that have been made on these occasions 

 t' is conclusive evidence of the great similarity in the flavor of 

 d these three varieties of Ducks during the particular period that 

 a they all feed exclusively upon the roots of the Yalisineria. 

 a Although the Canvass-Backs are excessively fond of the bul- 

 s bous root of the Yalisineria Americana, and prefer it to any 

 other kind of food, they are not solely dependent upon this 

 a production for subsistence, but are obliged to resort to other 

 r species of aquatic plants when driven from the rivers and flats 

 r of the upper bay by the large masses of floating ice into regions 

 where this vegetable does not grow. When forced by this cir- 

 cumstance to quit their favorite feeding-grounds, the Canvass- 

 Backs betake themselves far down the bay, where the Yalisi- 

 j neria is thinly distributed, and the shallows are more generally 

 ■> covered with a different variety of marine plant known as Eel- 

 ' grass. At such times, the Canvass-Backs, being forced to par- 

 ^ take of this rank grass, as well as small fish and many other 



r 



