﻿BIRDS 
  OF 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  205 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  distinctively 
  a 
  nearctic 
  species 
  and 
  is 
  probably 
  the 
  most 
  famous 
  

   of 
  all 
  wild 
  fowl 
  for 
  the 
  excellence 
  of 
  its 
  flesh. 
  Its 
  flavor 
  is 
  certainly 
  delicious 
  

   when 
  it 
  has 
  fed 
  for 
  some 
  time 
  on 
  the 
  Vallisneria 
  or 
  wild 
  celery, 
  and 
  is 
  

   properly 
  prepared 
  for 
  the 
  table. 
  Many 
  epicures 
  prefer 
  it 
  roasted 
  for 
  half 
  

   an 
  hour 
  in 
  a 
  hot 
  oven 
  so 
  that 
  the 
  body 
  juices 
  flow 
  freely 
  after 
  the 
  knife, 
  

   some 
  however 
  like 
  it 
  stuffed 
  and 
  roasted 
  for 
  two 
  hours 
  till 
  thoroughly 
  

   cooked 
  and 
  browned. 
  Almost 
  any 
  one 
  of 
  our 
  river 
  ducks 
  under 
  ordinary 
  

   conditions 
  is 
  equal 
  to 
  the 
  Canvasback 
  when 
  it 
  has 
  not 
  fed 
  on 
  its 
  favorite 
  

   food, 
  and 
  I 
  have 
  usually 
  found 
  the 
  redheads 
  from 
  western 
  New 
  York 
  fully 
  

   equal 
  to 
  the 
  canvasbacks 
  taken 
  in 
  the 
  same 
  region. 
  The 
  female 
  Canvasback 
  

   can 
  quack 
  almost 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  a 
  Black 
  duck, 
  and 
  also 
  gives 
  voice 
  to 
  a 
  screaming 
  

   curr-row 
  when 
  startled. 
  The 
  males, 
  when 
  together, 
  frequently 
  utter 
  a 
  peep- 
  

   ing 
  or 
  growling 
  note. 
  

  

  The 
  Canvasback 
  breeds 
  from 
  North 
  Dakota 
  and 
  Minnesota 
  northward 
  

   to 
  Great 
  Slave 
  lake 
  and 
  Fort 
  Yukon, 
  and 
  winters 
  from 
  the 
  Great 
  Lake 
  

   region 
  and 
  Chesapeake 
  bay 
  to 
  Illinois, 
  Texas 
  and 
  Mexico. 
  

  

  Marila 
  marila 
  (Linnaeus) 
  

  

  (Aythya 
  marila 
  on 
  plate) 
  

  

  Scaup 
  Duck 
  

  

  Plate 
  I 
  7 
  

  

  Anas 
  marila 
  Linnaeus. 
  Syst. 
  Nat. 
  Ed. 
  12. 
  1766. 
  1:196 
  

   Fuligula 
  marila 
  DeKay. 
  Zool. 
  N. 
  Y. 
  1844. 
  pt 
  2, 
  p. 
  323, 
  fig. 
  252 
  

   Aythya 
  marila 
  nearctica.A. 
  O. 
  U. 
  Check 
  List. 
  Ed. 
  2. 
  1895. 
  No. 
  148 
  

  

  Description. 
  Male: 
  Head, 
  neck 
  and 
  foreparts 
  of 
  body 
  black, 
  the 
  

   head 
  and 
  upper 
  neck 
  glossed 
  with 
  greenish 
  with 
  only 
  a 
  slight 
  suspicion 
  of 
  

   purplish 
  ; 
  back, 
  scapulars 
  and 
  wing 
  coverts 
  and 
  lower 
  belly 
  waved 
  with 
  white 
  

   and 
  blackish; 
  rump 
  and 
  tail 
  coverts 
  black; 
  belly 
  white, 
  waved 
  with 
  dusky 
  

   white 
  in 
  the 
  region 
  of 
  the 
  vent; 
  the 
  long 
  flank 
  feathers 
  also 
  lightly 
  waved 
  

   with 
  dusky 
  white 
  ; 
  mirror 
  white 
  bordered 
  with 
  blackish 
  ; 
  bill 
  slaty 
  blue 
  with 
  

   black 
  nail; 
  feet 
  leaden 
  bluish; 
  iris 
  yellow. 
  Female 
  and 
  young: 
  Feathers 
  

   around 
  base 
  of 
  bill 
  white; 
  upper 
  parts 
  ranging 
  from 
  umber 
  brown 
  on 
  head 
  

   and 
  neck 
  to 
  fuscous 
  brown 
  on 
  the 
  back, 
  the 
  foreparts 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  margined 
  

   with 
  ocherous, 
  and 
  wavy 
  bars 
  of 
  white 
  usually 
  showing 
  slightly 
  on 
  the 
  

   scapulars 
  and 
  other 
  parts 
  so 
  marked 
  in 
  the 
  male; 
  speculum 
  white; 
  belly 
  

   white; 
  bill 
  and 
  feet 
  somewhat 
  duller 
  than 
  male's. 
  

  

  