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 to 
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 docks 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. 
