360 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



Description. "■Adult male. Head and whole neck dull reddish brown. 

 Female. Head and neck rusty grayish brown; back grayish brown finely barred 

 with black and white." 



The canvas back is one of the largest of the duck family, and is also a handsome 

 bird, qualities which, combined with its excellent table qualities, have given to 

 this species the distinguished name, "King of Ducks." It arrives here quite 

 early in the fall, and remains until there is no longer any open water to be seen. 



Dwight W. Huntington, in his admirable volume on "Our Feathered Game," 

 says: "The canvas back is distinctly an American bird. No other ducks resemble 

 it excepting the red-head duck, and the pochard of Europe." This fact accounts 

 for the opinion expressed by an enthusiastic southerner in an after-dinner speech 

 that: " Sah, the only bird that should be adopted as the emblem, sah, of these 

 United States is the canvas back of the Chesapeake, sah." 



The red head (At/tya americana). By many of our epicures, this bird is 

 thought to be much superior to the canvas back for table use, and hence they 

 are much sought after. These birds usually arrive here late in March, or certainly 

 by the first of April, and now that spring shooting is prohibited, they will 

 remain until late in the spring, and no doubt many will breed here. The method 

 of taking them is the same as employed. for the canvas back. 



Description. "-Adult male. Head and upper neck entirely a bright rufous; 

 lower neck, breast and back of the neck and upper back black ; the rest of the 

 back and scapulars finely barred with wavy black and white lines of equal width; 

 wing coverts brownish gray; upper tail coverts black; belly white, lower part more 

 or less barred with black. Female. Throat white; back grayish brown without 

 fine bars; speculum gray." 



The American scaup or bluebill (At/iya marzla). 



Description. "Adult male. Head glossed with greenish; sides without distinct 

 black bars. Female. Feathers about base of bill white; breast and back rusty 

 grayish brown; speculum white." 



The lesser scaup, or little bluebill (Athya affinis). 



Description. "Adult male. Head glossed with purplish; sides with distinct 

 black bars. Female. Similar to female of American scaup." This bird is common 

 and is often taken among the islands and in the bays. 



As indicated, there are two distinct species of the scaup showing no appreciable 

 difference except in size. They have several names, but the most common seems 

 to be the "big bluebill" and the "little bluebill." Though these birds are often 

 mistaken one for the other, so far as I have been able to learn it is the lesser 

 scaup or little bluebill that is oftenest seen here. 



