THE CANVA S-BA CK D UCK. 161, 



boat discreetly hidden in the rushes makes an excel- 

 lent blind, but it must be well liid, and as near the open 

 water as possible. The shooter requires a hard hitting 

 gun ; a 10 ga. is the proper size, loaded with 5 dms. 

 powder, well wadded, and 1 1-8 oz. No. 4, 5 or 6 chilled 

 shot. No. 4 being the best size. Being swift flyers, 

 the hunter should hold two feet further ahead than his 

 inclination prompts him to do. 



Anas Valeineria. Fuligula Valeineria. 



Adult Male. — Bill black, the length about three 

 inches, and very high at the base; fore part of the 

 head and throat dusky, irides deep red; breast brownish 

 black. Adult male with the forehead loral space, throat 

 and upper part of the head dusky ; sides of the head, 

 neck all round for nearly the entire length, reddish 

 chestnut ; lower neck, fore part of the breast and back 

 black ; rest of the back, white, closely marked with un- 

 dulating lines of black ; rump and upper tail coverts, 

 blackish ; primaries and secondaries, light slate color ; 

 tail short, the feathers pointed ; lower part of the breast, 

 and abdomen white ; flank same color, finely pen- 

 cilled with dusky ; lower tail coverts blackish brown, 

 intermixed with white. Lengt^Ji, 22 inches; wing, 

 9 14. 



Female. — Upper parts grayish brown; neck, sides 

 and abdomen the same ; upper part of the breast brown ; 

 belly white, pencilled with blackish ; rather smaller 

 than the male, with crown blackish brown. 



Weight of male 3 3-4 lbs ; of female, 2 34 lbs. 



