670 AVES—DUCK. 
THE CANVASS-BACK DUCK! 































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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 colo. 
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 biil, 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,? with a knob at the base of a 
yellow bill; the tufted duck,4 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,® with a large white spotvat 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 Anas valisneria, Witson. 2 Anas fusca, Lin. 3 Anas nigra, LIN. 
4Anas fuligula, Witson. * Anas marila, Lin. 6 Anas clangula, Lr. 
1 Anas tadorna, Lin. 8 Anas boschas, Lin. 
