842 AMERICAN GAME. 
and behind the posterior angle of the eye. Forepart of 
breast, belly, and vent dull, silvery gray; flanks and 
under tail coverts darkish, glossy, mouse colored. Seap- 
ularies, wing-coverts and tertials, dull brownish black ; 
secondaries broadly-banded with white, forming the 
speculum; primaries jet black, under-wing coverts 
silvery mouse colored. 
Measurements.—Head 5 inches, tip of bill to nape; 
bill 2 4-10; length, to tip of tail, 24 inches; to tip of 
claws 253; length of tarsus 1 7-10; length of middle 
toe 2 6-10; length of wing 93; length of middle tail 
feathers 2 1-5; extent 27 inches. 
The male bird weighs from 24 to 3 pounds; and differs 
from the female only in weight, size, greater distinctness 
of colors, and hue of the legs. e 
This duck, for its size, weight and power on the wing, 
when in full flight, is-very easily stopped with moderate 
sized shot; and is almost equal on the table as I have 
observed above, to the canvas-back. With decoys, 
immense sport might be had off these birds in the rice- 
lakes which they frequent; and with or without them, I 
would desire no better fun, than to be, under this clear 
moon beneath which I pen these lines, in a fleet birch- 
bark canoe, with my old friends An-oon-ge-zhig, and the 
“Young Owl,” to paddle me upon the fowl among the 
solitary rice-lakes of the lovely Matchedash. My life on 
it, if we should sleep on hemlock tips with a camp-fire 
