New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-17
very much smaller in size, and, unfortu-
nateIy, scarcer in Louisiana than in Ohio,
Indiana and Kentucky, is

| priately, the quail Its love-n0tes IN May
Of Bob White, ah, Bob White" are known
to every country boy in Louisiana and in
the Western States, where they are mostly
caught in nets during drizzly days. The
| writer has often assisted in thus catching
| them, and after they were broiled, assisted
| in eating them, and he is fully prepared to
! bestow on them the extravagant commend
! alton given by an enthusiast, viz: "'That
| it should be eaten with none but champagne
sauce and IN no posture but on ones
knees, through thankfulness." Or course.
then, the scarcity of this bird is 80 be re.
grettede and well may Ee sxclaim 9g:fa
| Byron:
Oh, nutbrown Partridge Oh Brilliant pheasant?
Their days seem numbered in this land.
An almost equally sayory and delicate
bird for eating, and universally known 80
our sportsmen, IL
TIE AMERICAN wOODC0CRo
Ornithologically it is the MicropHera
Americana, and by the French vailed be
| case; and all men over the nation are fond
| of woodcock shooting ana eating. They
| are rarely seen in numbers. except where
the hard frosts of the North have driven
them bithag for subsistence. 1t resembles
the Woodc0ck Of Europe in figure and man
ners, but is less in weight. the male Weigh
ing five OF six ounces and the female eight;
the European twelve. Blu: Ok still inore
importance 10 tho sportsman are Che Vari
GUS species OF
'EI.iS 0CgKso
we h@ve ia winter time q gfeae abuni-
ance 81 shese. And though we have no
duck grass (vaisnelia Ameyicanat in 0u'
waters. as they have in Chesapeake bayo
we have plenty Of wild celery over on the
line of the Mobile railroad. which opens up
to us good duck hunting grounds. The rice
fields Of Plaquemines are becoming more
extensive yearly, and rice fed ducks are
excellent. OF course the flavor depends on
the quality and abundance of their food.
Only one Of all the varieties here in the sea
son is native, and that is the wood duck,
or summer duck, the others retiring on the
approach Of summer. 1t is probably 50
called from making nests in hollow or
holes in trees It looks like a miniature
muscovy duck. The writer has often seen
their nests in the West in sycamores, and
in holes made by woodpeckers. Their flesh
is best in September and October, But the
most celebrated is the
CANvAS-BACK DUCK.
1t is abundant from the mouths
Of the Mississippi to the Hudson, and
its ornithoiogical name Of FuliguIa
valisneriana is from the botanical name Of
duck grass, on which it feeds in the north,
and which makes it so excellent. 1t has
long been known here as canard cheval. It
arrives here from October 70 until the
end Of December, but it becomes less valua-
bic here when deprived Of its natural food.
Baltimoreens say of it what the English
divine said Of the strawberry" doubtless
God might have created better berry if
he had chosen; but, doubtless, God never
did," by changing but the name strawberry
to canyas-ba Other varieties are liked
better here One nearly equal 10 it. but
smaller is the
RED headed DUCK.
or poehard, known commonly in New Or
leans by the name OF dos-gri..'' which
often ungIes viii, canvas backs, ana is
sold as such, having similar colors They
generally arrive here about November |,
but as before remarked, they were arriving
this fall ii September. They arc equally |
fond or salt and fresh water
Another very abundant duck, particularly !
in the West, as it prefers fresh water, is
the mailard duck, known here as canard /
Francois, or French duck, and which, as it |
has been long domesticated is known every
where. When Young they are tender and |
Juicy, and 10 good as any canvas-back
being plump and tender. Thin heads are
emerald green, with white ring about the
middle Of the neck. Their there is the
yadwall duck, which Lous lana CreoIos
call Violio," On account Of the whistiing |
ound Of It's wings. 1t weighs about two
pounds and arrives here with the widgeon
n Ball-pate, Che switch-tailed wi1geon, a
much smaller bird than tho canyas-bacIl,
md greatly esteemed for its flavor. An
ther duck chat, comes with the teal and re-
Mains in Louisiana all winter, but which is
carce, is the shoveller duck, which Creoles
now as I" income" and which is excellent
ating. Its head is deep green, and its bill
hovel-shaped, or double breadth vt the
nd.
We have also the 'ring-necked" or 'tufted
uck, I" the "seaup duck the ''ruddv duck
Ie "scoter duck" the "bullerheaded
nakU HxnoyyD in different districts ae 4I,a |