Canvas-back. duck. 339 



of these strange birds, which were afterwards sold among the 

 neighbors at the low rate of twelve and a half cents apiece, 

 without the feathers. These Sea Ducks, as the gunners then 

 called them, — from the direction, probably, in which they ar- 

 rived, — were no other than the famous Canvas-backs, which 

 commonly sold in the Philadelphia market at from a dollar tc 

 a dollar and a half per pair, — and indeed sometimes much 

 higher prices are given, when they are scarce, and considered 

 indispensable. 



The Canvas-back is rare in New England and the Maritime 

 Provinces, and occurs in that portion of the country as a migrant 

 only ; but it is abundant in winter on Chesapeake Bay, and breeds 

 in the fur countries, appearing in numbers, while migrating, in the 

 region of the Great Lakes. A few pairs breed in Manitoba, but 

 the bulk of the flocks go farther north, — as far even as Alaska and 

 the lower valley of the Mackenzie River. The breeding area may 

 extend farther to the southward than Manitoba, for Dr. Newberry 

 reported finding very young broods on the lakes and streams amid 

 the Cascade Mountains in Upper California, in which region Can- 

 vas-backs are said to be very numerous, — more numerous than 

 any other water-fowl. 



