New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-11
THE CANVASBACK.
THE ARISTOCRATIC WILD DUCK AT
HOME.

Correspondence Of The Boston Transcript
From the epicures view point. of course the
canvasback is the duck OF ducks. This year:
however birds of this species will be obtained
chiefly not from the Chesapeake but from cur
rituck Sound and that neighborhood. the reason
being that the wild celery beds OF inc famous
bay have been destroyed temporarily To great
extent ~ floods and storms. The veSetabl" III
question. which furnishes the favorite food OF
the canvasback. is one Of the most remai kanie
plants known TO the bOtaniSt. IL grows MholS
under water being otherwise known IS rib
bon grass" from its long rihbon-likr leaves
which grow directly out Of the muddy bottoms
Of shallow fresh water or brackiSh-Watef
streams and bays. The ducks eat the tnbers
which formed on the short stems p"healh
the surface of the mud These tuheis are
white like the inside of a ceery-head, run 81
starch and would doubtless prove an excellent
vegetable for human consumption Il tri"d.
Now. what makes this plant most notable Is
It's peculiar method Of reproducing its species.
Tho female flower is borne on the end ol a long
stalk which uplifts It just above the suriac" Of
the water. The male blossoms. on tn. other
hand. are developed in Il water-tight shea,h at
the base Of the leaves. near the surface al th'
mud. When the time Of ripcness arrives TN"
sheath breaks open and lihoratcS hundf'ds on
little yellow flowers. which rise Pui' KY 90 thr
surface and float about. They are hardly bigger
than the heads Of ordinary pins. but II - more
or less likely that one Of them sooner or later
viii come into contact with the f'male blossom.
which is comparatively large. being two inches
in length and slender. by this contact the poll
and thus the latter is fertiliZcd
Once che Is fcrtilizcd. the long stalk Of the
female flower begins &C. coil Ike spiral sprlng,
the blossom developing into growing pod.
which is gradually drawn down ~ the incroasr
Of tension on the spring nearly to the Ihud
Natures purpose in this p"rforinanc" Is that
there shall be no disturbance 10y surface waves
and currents Customarily the wild celery
grows in tdc-marshcs or in flowing streams
where it can have water very much aerated
which il needs The full-grown pod contains
l,,, -. q c..I- vel i,i n
are dropped upon the mud. gerulnatc ana pro-
duce new plants.
IT'S BREEDING PLACES.
Tho canyashack duck. which. At - Il pair is
the favoritc game bird Of rich pcorl" in this
country breeds in far sub-arcic r"sI' rs III Man
itoba Assinibo.a and even i3r NoTihe.h
Alaska. Along the tributaries of tn" mighty
Yukon j, builds its nest IN June. constructing
the basis for its breeding establishment IN water
foot deep. ON The edge Of lax" or WA'"r.
couSse This SALES.--FUTURE is large pill OF
grass on which the nest proper IS erected. WIKI
sides well built up and lining Of down and
feathers. tn" latter rlucked 10y the mother bird
from her own breast. For making the founda-
ton the mother bird pulls up all the dry grass
within a yard or two Of her nest, thus leaving
clearing.
The canvasback is one 81 The greatest tray
oilers among ducks. it spends the summer near
TO the arctic circle. ana passes every winter
i'm the Southern States. probably passing over
the border into Mexico. But It's faNorlte cold
weather habitat is in the bays lnd sounds OF
Mary land and North Carolina. Ducks. generally
Speaking. are divided into river ducks and sea
ducks. All the table ducks are fresh water ducks
except the canvasback and the rcdhead, which
are in 4 sense Of the salt water inasmuch as
they feed in arms Of the sea The r,dhead is
closely allied 10 the canYasback being distin-
guishcd from the latter only by The fact that II
has a siouter and blu"r bill, a darker back and
more black on the breast Ten 10 one. If you
buy n canvasback from the most reputable
rnarketman. YOU viii get a reihead
The wild mallard and wood duck have been
successfully domestcated. In fact. the com
mon duck Of the farmyard is the wild mallard
persuaded to adopt civilized conditions. The
mandarin duck is a Chinese duck. closely re-
lated to the wood duck. The Picking duck. which