670 



AVES— DUCK. 



THE CANVASS-BACK DUCKi 



Is a very celebrated species, unknown in Europe. They appear in the Unit- 

 ed States about the middle of October, and great numbers of them are 

 found on the rivers near Chesapeake Bay. The canvass-back, in the rich 

 juicy tenderness of its flesh, and its delicacy and flavor, stands unrivalled 

 by the whole of its tribe in, perhaps, any other part of the world. They 

 sometimes sell from one to three dollars a pair. Its length is about two 

 feet, and its weight two pounds. 



The most obvious distinction between wild and tame ducks is in the color 

 of their feet; those of the tame duck being black; those of the wild duck 

 yellow. The difference between wild ducks among each other, arises as 

 well from their size, as the nature of the place they feed in. Sea ducks, 

 which feed in the salt water, and dive much, have a broad bill, bending 

 upwards, a large hind toe, and a long blunt tail. Pond ducks, which feed 

 in plashes, have a straight and narrow bill, a small hind toe, and a sharp- 

 pointed train. The former are called in England, by the decoy-men, foreign 

 ducks ; the latter are supposed to be natives of England. In this tribe, we 

 may rank, as natives of America, the velvet duck,^ not so large, and with a 

 yellow bill ; the scoter duck, or black diver,-^ Avith a knob at the base of a 

 yellow bill ; the tufted duck,"! adorned with a thick crest; the scaup duck,^ 

 less than the common duck, with the bill of a grayish blue color ; the gol- 

 den eye,6 with a large white spot at the corners of the mouth, resembling 

 an eye ; the sheldrake,''' with the bill of a bright red, and swelling into a 

 knob; the mallard,^ which is the stock whence the tame breed has probably 



1 /nas valisncria, Wil?on. 

 '>' Anas fuligula, Wilson. 

 T Jinas tadorna, Lin. 



2 j4i(f/.s fusca, Lin. 

 ^ Ainis?narihi, Lin. 

 8 Anas boschas, Lin. 



^ Anas nigra, Lin. 

 ^Anas dang-ula, Lin. 



