THE CANVASBACK 333 
may deserve the praise accorded them, but many 
epicures will tell us that there are several of 
the ‘‘river ducks’’ of far greater merit when 
all are confined to the usual duck diet. In such 
case the Canvasback is said to be a very ordi- 
nary table bird. 
This species is marked much like the redhead; 
the shape of the bill and head differing, and the 
general tone of the bird’s plumage is lighter. 
The bill of the Canvasback is blackish, as long 
or longer than the head, high at the base and 
rather narrow throughout its entire length. 
The line of the profile of bill and head are al- 
most one, in contrast to the bulging forehead 
and arching crest of the redhead. For his col- 
oring, the male has a red head,—lacking the 
loose-feathered and puffy appearance of his 
cousin’s topnot,—the color brownish in tone, 
with none of the coppery lustre shown by the 
redhead; the same color extends down over the 
upper neck; on the crown and about the base 
of the bill darkening to dusky brown. Above, 
a light silver gray or whitish, with fine black 
lines across the feathers, here closely resem- 
bling the redhead, as also on the lower neck, 
breast and upper back, the colors of wing and 
