34r 
^pril 17 
venture to take advantage of what they call ambiguity, 
to go a trouting on the 15th March. 
Ice Btill covers some of the ponds on Long Island, 
though we have seen a few good messes taken on the 
South side, from a few brooks in the neighborhood of 
South Oyster Bay, and Patchogue. Trout have lain 
dormant so many months, it is not policy to take them 
until the snow-water has left the streams and the 
speckled beauties have had time to rub and burnish 
their amber sides on the shallows of sand, and regale 
themselves on the wat er delicacies of the season, so ^ 
to take away the woody taste and leave them free fiom 
any foreign taste. 
The recent mania for fish-culture^has brought to'our 
markets many inferior trout — trout which are without 
flavor and tasting'^ of mud and rotten wood. Persons 
should not attempt to impose on the public by the sale 
of trout which are propagated and raised in^iquid bas- 
tiles, being small ponds where surface water prepon- 
derates. Trout from running streams are a great lux- 
ury, but those from|ponds, fattened on mummies and 
offal, are not so fine a table luxury as are* chubs and 
suckers. 
But fish culture, like many other great discoveries, 
has been'overdone; yet it will be cured; as soon as the 
public becomes educated as to what kinds and in what 
seasons, certain fishes are savory|and wholesome. 
“With winter's frown let sadness cease, 
And cankering care, 
And o'er them wavejsweet smiles of peace 
Withlgarlands fair; 
From'joyons.natore catch the smile. 
And every weary hour beguile 
From care and pain . 
Jbin, join with bird and flowing stream, 
In shouting forth the rapturous theme, 
'Tis spring again, 
’Tia spring again!” 
C.\XVAS-BACK DUCK, 
(Ana* VaUisneria-WiUon.') 
BY A . B. LAMBERTON. 
“Slow round an opening point we softly steal. 
Where four large Ducks in playful circles wheel. 
The far-famed Canvas-backs at once we know. 
Their broad, flat bodies wrapped in pencilled snow; 
The burnished chestnut o’er their necks that shone. 
Spread deep’uing round each breast a sable zone.” 
This celebrated species is peculiar to America. It re 
sembles somewhat the Pochard of England, (Ana* 
Ferina) but differs according to Wilson and other ex- 
cellent authorities from this duck, both in size and 
weight, the Canvas-back being much larger and 
heavier. This duck weighs when in good condition 
three lbs. or more. If I mistake not it was Wilson who 
pointed out the difference between the Pochard and 
Canvas-back and designated the last named as a new 
species. America’s most observing and discriminating 
Naturalist, was however, either mistaken or else the 
habits of this duck have changed, in declaring that 
“they arrive in the United States from the north about 
the middle of October,” since they are shot in theii 
haunts in the west. Spirit Lake and the Lake Regions 
of Minnesota in September; and the first of October 
I have seen thousands of these ducks in a few days of 
these months in the west. The same authority would 
make the breeding grounds of this species alone in the 
Arctic Regions. Audubon more familiar with the 
haunts of the Canvas-back, tells us that it breeds in 
considerable numbers on the borders of Bear River, in 
Upper California; also in the marshes and along the 
banks of streams in many parts of the Rocky Mountains. 
To this I will add, it also breeds about the retired lakes 
of the North-West parts of Iowa and the South- 
Western parts of Minnesota, and no doubt elsewhere in 
portions of the great West. Few of the lakes to which 
I refer, appear on our Atlas. They are located in the 
unsettled parts, between the Oeheeden so called by 
trappers, and Spirit Lakes. These ducks from the Fur 
Regions do not arrive at the lakes much before the firsi 
of November, where they are very plentiful for a short 
time. 
The Canvas-back in its migrations visits many of 
our rivers and lakes. It does not, however, tarry long 
at any until reaching the Chesapeake and Susquehan- 
nah, where it spends the Autumn and then passes on to 
its winter rendezvous — the Potomac and James Rivers. 
It does not arrive at the Chesapeake and its tributaries 
in great rumt>ers before the lath of November. The 
best month for shooting the Cnuvas-back on these 
streams is D-ccmbtr. This duck has many local 
names East; West and as far South as the Northern 
waters of the Chesapeake^Bay it goes by its true name. 
Canvas-back At New Orleans it is known as the 
Canard Cheval; and on the James River, Sheldrake; on 
the Potomac, White Back ; and were we to give it a 
new name we would call it Silver Back. 
The Canvas-back is the most celebrated of all our 
ducks and more highly esteemed by epicures than any 
species of duck in the world. I am well aware that 
there are sportsmen who will not concede the Canvas- 
back to be superior) to Mallards and some few other 
species. These contend with much warmth that the 
Mallard is in no wise inferior in its rich juicy fiesh and 
delicacy of flavor to the Canvas-back. Epicures 
may differ, but as I have shot and eaten these cele- 
brated ducks together with others highly esteemed for 
their savory qualities. East and West, 1 can but think 
the Canvas-back superior to all others, while Mal- 
lards, Red Heads, and Teal are delicious. Canvas- 
backs of the Chesapeake are more so. These appetiz- 
ing ducks as Wilson says, “not only grace but dignify 
the table and their very name conveys to the imagina- 
tion of the epicure, tue most comfortable and exhilar- 
ating ideas.” What Lamb says of roast pig, we say of 
this duck. “Of all the delicacies in this whole mundus 
edibilis, I will maintain it to be the most delicate.” Of 
course this cannot be said of the Canvas-back killed 
elsewhere than the Chesapeake Bay, and not of those 
until they have fed awhile on the nutritious celery, 
their chosen food. When they first arrive on these 
streams they are poor and their flesh dry. This may 
also be said of the other species, in not so marked a de- 
gree, however, neither do they acquire such a rich 
flavor as do the Canvas-backs, although all feed alike 
on this plant. It is to the roots of the VulUsneria amer- 
icanu* that this duck owes its celebrity. The wild cel- 
ery so named from the resemblance its root bears to 
the garden celery grows in greater abundance on the 
shoals of the bay and its tributaries then elsewhere. 
Our wild fowl seem passionately fond of tnis water- 
grass, so that the places where it is found become noted 
resorts of ducks, especially of Canvas-backs. Wilson 
limits the range of the Canvas-back to the waters 
where this plant grows. He says “in waters unprovided 
with this nutritive plant they are altogether unknown.” 
I have, however, seen them in large numbers in locali- 
ties where this plant did not grow, and Audubon says, 
“its food varies according to the season and locality.” 
He further says that “Canvas- backs like other species, 
are obliged to have recourse to fishes, tadpoles, water 
lizards, leeches, snails and mollusca, as well as such 
seeds as they can meet with; all of which have been in 
greater or less quantity^ found in their stomach.” The 
localities where the wild celery grows are nevertheless 
their chosen haunts. This aquatic plant, often grows 
eighteen inches high or more, and is not deep rooted 
so that the ducks have but little difficulty in pulling up 
large quantities of it. Sometimes great quantities of it 
are afloat on their feeding grounds. Some of the spe- 
cies eat the blades, but gunners declare that the Can- 
vass Back feeds alone on its roots. The Black Heads 
and Red Heads feed in company with the Canvas- 
backs. The.latter being admirable divers, obtain most 
of the plants, tThile the others rob them of their deli- 
cious morsels as they appear upon the surface of the 
water. Though these species feed together, they form 
into separate flocks on taking the wing. As an evi- 
dence that the flavor of the Canvas-back is improved 
by feeding on celery, their flesh is said to lose much of 
its juice and tenderness when forced down the bay by 
the ice so that when reaching Charleston and other 
southern cities where this plant does not grow, they are 
looked upon as quite dry and fishy, and not equal to 
teal. Supply bountifully the Canvas-back with cel- 
ery and I think there will be no difference of opinion 
as to its excellence. Then I imagine that even Bogar- 
dus and Forrester, Jr., will confess that its flesh is even 
superior to that of the Mallard. These are often so fat 
in December as to burst asunder on the breast on strik- 
ing the water. 
The Canvas-back is shy, wary and difficult of ap- 
proach. Indeed, they cannot be reached, save by 
stratagem, and many are the ingenious devices 
used by the cunning hunter to entice these watch- 
ful ducks within range of his gun ; and yet 
few ducks decoy more readily or dart in hand- 
somer style on discovering the stools. They ex- 
hibit no fears, but come on to the decoys with a sweep 
of the wing and headlong rush that makes them glori- 
ous in the <yis of the shooter. IVheu wounded, the 
sportsman has new cause for)admiring this duck. Then 
it is that the Canvas-back exhibits true game qualities ; it 
dives deep and often, and swims along under the water, 
manoeuvring with all the cunning and skill necessary to 
evade the dog and gunner. It evinces a consciousness 
of the situation that entitles it to rank as a bird of reas- 
on. Canvas-backs can be distinguished from other 
ducks when on the water by their incessant diving, and 
when on the wing by their great altitude and uniform 
wedge flight. Indeed it is surprising how readily the 
old gunner will recognize one kind of fowl from another 
before a color is discernible. They have become so fa- 
miliar with the flight of each species as to enable them 
to announce what kind is coming with certainty. To 
the inexperienced all fly alike, while to the skilled 
sportsman each species has its own stroke of wing and 
way of coming and going. 
The different kinds frequenting the Chesapeake Bay 
and adjacent « aters are quite numerous. Of these the 
first to arrive are the long-tailed duck, the buffle-head. 
Ana* alhedla ; the south southerly, A. glaciali* ; and the 
ruddy, better know as the heavy-tailed duck, A. rubida. 
Next to arrive are the black-head, scaup duck, A. ma- 
nia ; red-head, *4. ferina; widgeon, A. americana, and 
the canvas-back, A. rallMneria. The other water fowl 
that visit the bay are the goose, A. canadentis, and the 
American swan, Cygnu* americanus. 
Shooting on the Chesapeake, one of the oldest and best 
known resorts of wild fowl on the continent, is not what 
it was twenty years ago ; this is no longer open l« all 
comers. A preserve now, the property of the sports- 
men and gunners who reside on its shores, it is protected 
from all intruders. Each shooter is obliged to procure 
a yearly license to kill ducks on its waters; the cost of 
the license is moderate, ten dollars being the sum re- 
quired. The licensed gunners as a rule are courteous 
and generous, and are anxious to accommodate every 
true sportsman coming to their preserves with a few 
days’ shooting, and will for a small consideration let 
their boats and decoys and accompany you to the 
grounds. As I have already said, the Chesapeake and 
its tributaries from the mouth of the Susquehanna to 
the southern limit of the bay are portioned off to the 
shooters in sections. These licenses designate in what 
section the gunner shall shoot. The licenses are similar 
to the permits issued by owners of salmon rivers to an- 
glers, assigning them a certain pool and no other. By 
this system the wild fowl portions of the waters are 
fairly meted out to the shooters of the towns to which 
they geographically belong. The gunners are further 
prohibited from shooting save on three days of the 
week, Mondays, IVednesdays and Fridays 
The open season is from the 1st of November to the 
1st of April. It is a wise and humane law that limits 
the killing of wild fowl to three days in the week. 
This gives time for the birds to collect, settle and feed in 
quiet. But where they are pursued every day they be- 
come extremely wild and unsettled in their haunts, if not 
entirely driven away. How much better it would be for 
the game bag and the preservation of this sport could 
we limit wild fowl shooting everywhere to three day^ 
shooting in the week. The shooters of the bay main- 
tain that the ducks are now as numerous as they have 
been at any time during the last twenty years. Though 
this be contrary to what Audubon, Wilson and Lewis 
say, we can but think that they who have shot wild 
fowl on these waters for the last twenty years have had 
a better opportunity of judging with regard to it. Be 
this as it may, ducks still cover acres and miles of this 
great bay during the autumn and early winter months, 
and it would seem impossible for them ever to have 
been more abundant. And there are as many bagged 
now, not in a single day, perhaps, but during the en- 
tire season as there were formerly. Old market shoot- 
ers declare that no amount of firing will drive away the 
canvas-back from the waters of the Chesapeake. They 
will come to these and linger upon them so long as any 
individuals of the species remain. And this is without 
doubt true ; it is therefore well to compel these shoot 
era to exercise some humanity toward these favorite 
birds of beauty, profit and sport. It is not until the 
Chesapeake fills with ice that these silvery back ducks 
leave the bay and go down to Gunpowder and Bush riv- 
ers. Even then they do not all leave at once ; some 
still linger and frequent the air holes of the ice. These 
openings are usually over shoals where are their v^y 
best feeding grounds. But they are soon comjielled to 
abandon these in the upper part of the bay, as the gun- 
ners bui’d blinds near them on the ice where they t^alch 
their coming, and on alighting pour upon them their 
