CANVASS-BACK DUCK. 
223 
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 
canvass-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 1779-80, 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 carried 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 canvass-back, in the rich juicy tenderness of its 
flesh, and its delicacy of flavour, stands unrivalled by the 
whole of its tribe in this or perhaps any other quarter 
of the world. Those killed in the waters of the 
Chesapeake are generally esteemed superior to all others, 
doubtless from the great abundance of their favourite 
food which these rivers produce. At our public dinners, 
hotels, and particular entertainments, the canvass-backs 
are universal favourites. They not only grace but 
dignify the table, and their very name conveys to the 
imagination of the eager epicure the most comfortable 
and exhilarating ideas. Hence, on such occasions, it 
has not been uncommon to pay from one to three 
dollars a-pair for these ducks ; and, indeed, at such times. 
