CANVASS-BACK DUCK. 
Ill 
approach within gunshot of these birds ; but of all the modes pur- 
sued, none intimidate them so much as shooting them by night; 
and they soon abandon the place where they have been thus re- 
peatedly shot at. During the day they are dispersed about; but 
towards evening collect in large flocks, and come into the mouths 
of creeks, where they often ride as at anchor, with their head un- 
der their wing, asleep, there being always sentinels 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 
Canvass-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 favorite grass, to entice them 
within gunshot of the hut or bush which is usually fixed at a pro- 
per 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, informed me, that one se- 
vere 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 Canvass-backs, and 
might have collected more had they been able to get to the extre- 
mity of the ice after the wounded ones. In the severe winter of 
1779-80, the Fallisneria 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 Duck-grass froze to the ice every where, and a thaw 
coming on suddenly, the whole was raised by the roots and carried 
