2 CANVASS-BACK DOCK.
This enhancement of its value I look upon as having arisen from
the preference given to. it by the epicures of our Middle Districts, who
have strangely lauded it as superior to every other duck in the world.
This alleged pre-eminence has indeed become so deeply impressed on
the minds of many of our Southerns, that they have on various occasions
procured the transportation of numbers, of Canvass-backs from
Baltimore to Charleston in South Carolina, and even, to Savannah in
Georgia, although this species is by no means uncommon within a few
miles of the latter city, as well as on the Great Santee River. I well
remember that on my pointing out to a friend, now alas dead, several
dozens of these birds in the market of Savannah, he would scarcely believe
that I was not mistaken, and assured me that they were looked upon
as being poor, dry, and very'fishy, in short not half so good as Mallards,
or Blue-winged Teals. With this I cordially agreed, for there, at that
season, they are not better than represented.
I found this species in considerable numbers on and about the numerous
inlets and rivers of East Florida ; but did not .see a .single individual
on the Gulf of St Lawrence, along the coast of Labrador, or on
that of Newfoundland.
I t arrives in the neighbourhood of ,New Orleans : from the 20th of
October to the end of December,; coming in flocks of eight or twelve,
probably the members of a single family, and, unlike many other species,
keeping in small groups., during winter, At the approach of spring
however they flock together, and about the first of April depart in large,
bodies. During their stay* they are wont to alight on wet prairies
and muddy ponds in. all open places, feeding on the; seeds of various,
plants, of which may be particularized, the wild oat and the water lily.
According to AI.KXAXOKK WILSON, who first described this species,
their arrival in autumn in the Middle Districts takes place about the
15th of1 (October ; but more recent writers say, that f unless the
weather to the north has been severe, the Canvass-back rarely appears
till the middle of November." With this I fully agree, being convinced
that their journeys to and from their breeding .places! are performed
across* the country. Were this perfectly ascertained, it would
prove that this species, unlike most other.-ducks, instead of removing
farther southward in autumn and winter^ takes what may "be called
a lateral march toward our Eastern Districts, in which it remains
until the-weather has become too cold for fits constitution, when it is
CANVAÈS-BÀCK DUCK. 3
'iorccd a ¡wontf Hime t" migrato,5 and betake itself to warmer parts of
the country, whore 'it continues during the rest !.of the winter.
' : The flight of this species, alllioiigh resembling that of Our larger
soa-'ducks in having the appearàtìSè'of being rather laboured, is' strong,
rapid, at time's'very elevated, and well sustained. It swims deeply, especially
when under apprehension of danger, am! this probably the
better fe enable it to escape by (living, at which it is almost as'expert
às our sea or diving ducks:" But although its speed on the water
! S cànsiSéfible, it moves rather heavily on land. Its food varies^ according
to thè Season arid locality: The plant named Valùnerla, on
)
8which it is said to food when on tlio! head waters of the Chesapeake,
is not found equally abundant in other ;parts,;and;%vèn there ife at times
"sS'iedueed in quantity, that this duck and several othèr-spécies which
'¡¿fe equally fond Of' it, are obligod;to have recourse to fishes, tadpoles,
water-lizards, leeches, snail>"àHd" molliis&i,r as w-èfi such seeds as
they' tari' 'ifieéi! Mth; ; all 'which ;hatfe' bétti in '^gat'èr ór lèSS quantity
found in' thefr'stomach.
Mith'iiig is known of' its :m«rmers during tfe'hréè'ding'telson ; and
we are equally ignorant of the" changes of piumate whieh, like other
' Species? it inàsy uiiderjb' ait " that'Jeri^d:1 " "
•''''••As I have not had^ve'ry^òód'bppe^tiffiitie's'bf : maki%< myself'acqiiafflted'vrtth'
thèrn'ódfes'itì which'thé^Gàntìss^bàtite'ajTei'obtàinéd for
thé:'mkikètsjT(hére ^resfct àtì%eeótttìi of duèfe^shootìng'on the-waters
of1 the1 ©HéS'à^èStó^ piiBiiÉied !s81iiejybàlrs lagdjiri'the s'-Cabinet of-Natural1
ffistóry,^'àriiÌ of which1 a"'cépy has1 'been'-transmitted' tò me'ibyits
"atithórl,D»riJ.: Jì'SiìììkpiìeÌsV bf l'hiladelphia, tot whom, for this and
'• b'tfitf Warks of. Htt'óntion; Lòffèr my'b'est'thanks.wiir
i'l iifRThfe GhtìèSpS&è-'!Bay,'with its-'iributary stteamsi.''has,' ¡from its
' ijite^éi-yj • Ixiim kribi^tìrBg'ithé'igr:éatestT resort of water-fowl in the
United''States!' TMS -haMSpe'fided ' on the profusion of 'theiriffood,
which isf WeesSibié èli th'e' i>Àmèn'Sé''flats'ór shoals that are found near
'"the mouth of the '^usi|u!ehkiftiài-' along the 'entire»length of North-East
and' Elk 'KWersS'feMtte'thè' sh'otfè^iif the'bay and'connecting streams,
•W-fai' S05ttthi;àS1>Y'ó!rk'à'iiÉ''3;Ìm-éèi 'Kivèis.
r*r°i!'11?hfe"c[uaatity ófi'fiiwl o'f''laite''-yearislhas,been decidedly:less than
iri tim'és',górié bjP; I Iftefc1 with1 petsons who have assured me
' that thè'ntóib'Sr 'hasiì'e'èi&àSéd'TOéihalf in thelast fifteen years. This
i-liangé has arisen, most pidbably, from the vast increase in their de-
A 2