CANVAS-BACK DUCK. 
343 
centinels awake ready to raise an alarm on the least appearance 
of danger. Even when feeding and diving in small parties, the 
whole never go down at one time, but some are still left above 
on the look out. 
When the winter sets in severely, and the river is frozen, the 
Canvas-backs retreat to its confluence with the bay, occasionally 
frequenting air holes in the ice, which are sometimes made for 
the purpose, immediately above their favourite grass, to entice 
them within gun shot of the hut or bush which is usually fixed 
at a proper distance, and where the gunner lies concealed, ready 
to take advantage of their distress. A Mr. Hill, who lives near 
James’ river, at a place called Herring Creek, informs me, that 
one severe winter he and another person broke a hole in the ice 
about twenty by forty feet, immediately over a shoal of grass, 
and took their stand on the shore in a hut of brush, each having 
three guns well loaded with large shot. The Ducks, which were 
flying up and down the river in great extremity, soon crowded 
to this place, so that the whole open space was not only covered 
with them, but vast numbers stood on the ice around it. They 
had three rounds firing both at once, and picked up eighty-eight 
Canvas-backs, and might have collected more had they been 
able to get to the extremity of the ice after the wounded ones. 
In the severe winter of 177 9-80, the grass, on the roots of which 
these birds feed, was almost wholly destroyed in James’ river. 
In the month of January the wind continued to blow from W. 
N. W. for twenty-one days, which caused such low tides in the 
river that the grass froze to the ice every where, and a thaw 
coming on suddenly, the whole was raised by the roots and 
cai’ried off by the fresh. The next winter a few of these Ducks 
were seen, but they soon went away again; and for many years 
after, they continued to be scarce; and even to the present day, 
in the opinion of my informant, have never been so plenty as 
before. 
The Canvas-back, in the rich juicy tenderness of its flesh, 
and its delicacy and flavour, stands unrivalled by the whole of 
its tribe in this or perhaps any other quarter of the world. Those 
