Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-25
THE CANVAsBACK.
The A%rlstocratic wild Duck Mt
Home.
Correspondence Of the Boston Tran
script.)

Home.
Correspondence Of the Boston Tran
script.)
From the epicure's view point, OF course,
the canyasback is the duck Of ducks.
This year, however, birds ot this species
will be obtain d chiefly not from the
Chesapeake, but from Currituck sound n
that neighbOrhoOd. the reason being that
the wild celery beds Of the famous bay
have been destroyed temporarily 10 a
great extent by floods and storms. h
vegetable in question, which furnishes the
faYorite foOd OF the canvasback. is one
Of the most remarkable plants Known 10
the bOtanist. 1t grows wholly under
water, being otherwise known as ribbon
grass from its long, ribbOn-like leaves,
which grow directly out of the muddy
bottoms of shallow fresh water CT brack-
ish water streams and bays. The ducks
eat the tubers which are formed on the
short stems beneath the surface OF the
mud. These tubers are white, like the
inside Of a celery head, full of starch.
end would doubtless prove an excellent
vegetable for human consumption, IL
tried.
Now. what makes his plant most no
table is it's peculiar method of repro
ducing its species. The female flower Is
borne on the end of a long stalk. which
uplifts II just above the surface or the
water. The male blossoms, on the other
hand. are developed in a water-tight
sheath at the base OF the leaves, near
the surface Of the mud. When the time
of ripeness arrives the sheath breaks omen
and liberates hundreds Of little yellow
mowers, which rise quickly TO the surface
and hoat about. They are hardly bigger
than the heads OF ordinary pins, but It is
more or less likely tina one OF them.
sooner or later, will come in contact with
the female blossom, which is COMPARE
lively large, being two inches I'm length,
and slender. By this contact the pollen
Is transferred from the male to the fe-
male. and fms fhn 1Qrfnw - Fnrtn4vaI a
once she is fortified, the long stalk Of
the female flower begins to coil like q
spiral spring. the blossom developing into
a growing pod, which IS gradually drawn
down by the Increase Of tension on the
spring nearly TO the mud. Natures pur-
pose in this performance IS that there
shall be no disturbance by surface waves
currents. Customarily, the wild cell
cry grows IN tide-marshes or in flowing
streams, where II can have water very
much aerated, which 81 needs. The full
grown pod contains hundreds Of seeds,
which, in the course OF time, are drop
new plants.
ITS BREEDING-PLACES.
The canvasback duck, which, at s. a
pair, is the favorite game-bird Of rich peO-
pie in this country, breeds in far sub-arc-
tic regions In Manitoba, Assiniboia, and
even far Northern Alaska. Along the
tributaries OF the mighty Yukon It builds
its nest in June, constructing the basis
for its breeding establishment I'm water
a foot deep, on the edge Of a lake or
watercourse. This substructure is a large
pile Of grass, On which the nest proper
IS erected, wit sides well built up and
a lining OF down and feathers, the latter
plucked by the mother bird from her own
breast. For making the foundation. the
mother bird pulls up all the dry grass
within a yard or two OF her nest, thu
leaving a clearing.
The canvasback is one Of the greatest
travellers among ducks; it spends tho
summer near to the a~ctic circle. and
passes every winter I'm the Southern
States, probably passing over the border
into Mexico. But It's favorite cold-wea-
ther habitat is In the bays and sounds Of
Maryland and North Carolina. Ducks.
generally speaking, are divided into river
ducks and sea ducks. All the table ducks
are fresh-water ducks. except the can
vasback and the redhead, which are in a
sense OF the salt water, inasmuch as
they feed in arms OF the sea. The red
head is closely allied to the canvasback.
being distinguished from the latter only
be the fact hat IL has a stOuter and
bluer bill, q darker back, and more black
on the breast. Ten TO one. If you buy
a canVasback from the most reputable
marketman, you will get a redhead.
The wild mallard and wood duck have
been successfully domesticated. In fact,
the common duck of the farmysrd is the
wild mallard, persuaded 10 adopt civil
lied conditions. The mandarin duck Is
a Chinese duck, closely related TO the
wood duck. The Picking duck, which is
such a market favorite to-day, is likewise
of Chinese origin; 1t Is raised 10 twelve
pounds weight I'm a few weeks. IL seems
odd that ducks, adopted as farm animals,
have not altered.
THE WILD CELERY.
The flavor which has made the canvas
back so famous IS due TO the wild celery,
as is proved by tho fact hat the same
bird In other narfG of the country. where
this aquatic plant does not grow. has not
nearly the same excellence. IL Is by no
means so good when taken in the neigh
borhood of New York and on the Cali
fornian coast, where IL is common, It is
less esteemed than he allard and the
pintail. In the vicinity Of Galveston,
TEX, on the other hand, 1t feeds on tho
seeds Of wild oats and water-ily, and is
said to be delicious. Within the last
few years ducking clubs In Minnesota and
elsewhere I'm that section Of the country
have been planting wild celery In the
streams, with a view to attracting can
yasbacks. and their efforts are understood
to be attended with some success.
The canvasback Is still a very numerous
species Of duck, though greatly reduced
in numbers by the methods OF wholesale
MASSAGE adopted by p~ot-hunters In the
Chesapeake and Carolina waters. where
the bird is chiefly sought Tor market. In
those waters 10 IS found in immense tOcks.
and ruthless are the means resOrted 10
lOI uEElIONllE H. pfiE DAuh GDlArl~A1 HI I
approaching the sleeping fowl under
cover Of darkness. IN a light boat pro-
vided with a swivel gun that fires at
one discharge a pound or moro of shot.
In this way great numbers are killed or
crippled. As might be supposed, this style
OF hunting Is contrary 90 law. For that |
matter. SO is the method OF sinking gill |
nets a short distance beneath the waSr.
so that the diving ducks are caught. But.
for some reason, the latter process soon
drives away the birds, and those captured
are hardly fit TO eat. Whole hocks are
wiped out with the help Of boats that are
nchOred on the feeding grounds and SUM
10 the level OF tn watr, surrounded by i
decoys-the occupant, armed with a bat
terry Of double-barrellsd gum reclining so
as 10 be unseen. Sometimes a po0dle-dog
is employed TO run along the shore of
which the canvasbacks are feeding ana
"tole" them within range by exciting
their curiosity.
Horrible.
(T1t-Bits.)