THE CANVASBACK DUCK, AYTHYA VALLISNERIA. 



ALLAN BROOKS. 



So much has been written about this 

 well known duck that there is nothing to 

 add to the many full accounts of its habits. 

 It has no near ally in the old world, 

 though the red crested duck may be said 

 to be its old world representative. It is ir- 



ports as to the scarcity or abundance from 

 the Dakotas and the Mississippi valley 

 would now be interesting. 



As is well known the canvasback is a 

 rather poor table bird, except when fat- 

 tened on wild celery, though hardly so 



THE CANVASBACK DUCK. 



regular in its migrations, being much more 

 numerous some seasons than others. Dur- 

 ing the past season it was common on the 

 Pacific coast, especially in British Colum- 

 bia, where usually, except in a few locali- 

 ties, it is scarce. From the Atlantic coast 

 the same was reported. Canvasbacks there 

 came in late, in enormous numbers, being 

 far more plentiful than for many years. 

 Lack of water in the interior is the cause 

 generally assigned for this increase. Re- 



rank and tough as a merganser, as some- 

 times stated ; unless the hooded merganser 

 is referred to, in which case the insult will 

 pass. The hooded merganser is a good 

 table duck in every way. 



Like the cinnamon teal's, the iris of the 

 male canvasback seems to undergo a post 

 mortem change from orange yellow to red. 

 The bill is dull black, and the feet are lead 

 colored in both sexes. 



Visitor — It seems strangely quiet here, 

 when so many ballet girls are dressing in 

 their rooms around the stage. 



Stage Manager — Well, you see, there is 

 almost nothing going on at this time — 

 Baltimore American. 

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