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BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 
AYTHYA VALLISNERIA (Witson). (147.) 
CANVAS-BACK. 
Although so famous among sportsmen and epicures at the 
seaboard, this species loses its preferments in our waters, and 
upon our Minnesota tables, taking a second place in both. Asa 
general thing they appear to reach us about the same time as 
the Redheads do, but this is not always the case for, as inti- 
mated when speaking of the latter, it may abound when the 
Canvas-back entirely fails to put in an appearance, as in 1863. 
In the following year—that is, in 1864—the Red heads were 
barely represented, while the present species were exceptionally 
common for the species. Again in 1886, they were common in 
the autumn, but sparingly represented in the preceding spring. 
When observed in the spring migration, they remain about 
two weeks, and are then found on lakes, streams and 
marshy ponds, feeding upon aquatic vegetation, crustaceans, 
molluses, insects and larve of different kinds. They never 
appear to scruple about appropriating a small fish that comes 
in their way upon occasion. They return from the north 
ordinarily about the first week in October, and after a stay of 
about two weeks, or a little more, move on southward. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Bill long, slender and tapering; head all around and neck 
chestnut; top of head and region around the base of the bill 
dusky brown; rest of neck, body anterior to the shoulders, 
back behind, rump and tail coverts, black; under parts white; 
region anterior to anus, sides, interscapulars and scapulars, 
white, finely dotted in transverse lines with black the white 
greatly predominating; speculum bluish-gray lighter extern- 
ally; innermost secondaries of the speculum edged externally 
with black; iris carmine. 
Length, 20; wing, 9.30; tarsus, 1.70; commissure, 2.65. 
Habitat, nearly all of North America. 
I have always been incredulous as to the special claims of 
this duck for the table, and having enjoyed ample opportunities 
for comparisons, which not only embrace different species, but 
the same species inland and on the seaboards of both coasts, I 
do not hesitate to say that whether obtained in one or the other 
section, the culinary preparation being equal, the Canvas-back 
is equally desirable for eating, and that but for ‘‘the seaboard 
fashion” in the case, this duck would, instead of having the 
first place in epicurean distinction, have one much nearer 
to the second. Duck-meat, like a good many other things, is 
affected very much by the ‘‘environments’” when eaten. A 
good cook is the chief one of those, and a good appetite stands 
next. To under value the Canvas-back is an inland ‘‘fashion.” 
