224 ANATlDiE. 



but the above distinctions are sufficient to enable any 

 person to tell the one from the other. 



The following is the plumage of the Canvas-back. 

 The forehead and cheeks are a dusky brown, all the 

 rest of the head, as well as the neck, being of a bright 

 chestnut. The upper portion of the breast is black, ex- 

 tending round to the canvas-like marking of the back, 

 which has been already described. The lower plumage 

 is white, marked somewhat similarly to the back, though 

 more faintly, the sides being dusky freckled. The 

 wing-coverts are grey speckled, the wing feathers slate 

 colour, with a narrow edging of deep black on the inner 

 ones; underneath the whole are white. The legs and 

 feet, the latter of which are rather large in proportion 

 to the size of the bird, are of a pale ash colour. The 

 tail, which is short and sharp-pointed, is a brownish 

 roan, and the tail-coverts are black. 



The female has the sides of the head and the throat 

 of a buff colour, and in lieu of chestnut her neck is 

 brown, which colour extends down to the breast and 

 replaces the black of the male bird. In other respects 

 there is no difference excepting in that of size as already 

 noticed. 



The Canvas-back appears in Canada, like nearly aU 

 the rest of the order, only at two periods of the year : 

 in autumn, on its way south, and in spring, on its 



