Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 28, 2025
These were the pochards, or, as they are termed by the gunners of the Chesapeake, `red-heads. These creatures bear a very great resemblance to the canvas-backs, and can hardly be distinguished except by their bills: those of the former being concave along the upper surface, while the bills of the canvas-backs exhibit a nearly straight line.
There are times, however, when the ducks have been much shot at, that even this decoy fails of success. On account of the high price the canvas-backs bring in the market, they are pursued by the hunters with great assiduity, and are looked upon as a source of much profit.
Often, too, have we stood together from early morning until dark night, waist deep, on the duck points, I with a fowling-piece I was all but too young to carry, and brought back a hundred red-heads or canvas-backs in our bags.
This celery grows on the Chesapeake Bay, and I believe on the Chesapeake Bay only. At any rate, Baltimore is the headquarters of the canvas-backs, and it is on the Chesapeake Bay that they are shot.
George carrying the guns, Todd loaded down with the game ten brace of canvas-backs and redheads strung together by their bills the driver of the gig following with the master's big ducking overcoat and smaller traps the four dogs crowding up trying to nose past for a dash into the wide hall as soon as Todd opened the door.
In the other cases were the little birds and big ones ducks, swimming on crystal pools, canvas-backs and redheads, mallards and teal; Bob-whites, single and in coveys; sandpipers, tip-ups and peeps, those little ghosts of the seashore, shadows on the sand; there were soar and other rails, robins and blackbirds, larks and sparrows, wild turkeys and wild geese, all the toll which the hunter takes from field and stream and forest.
Terrible condition of things! awful times when a good citizen can not go home to his modest supper of canvas-backs and champagne, without being robbed by his brother robber!" Indulging in these reflections, not unaccompanied with smiles, I continued my way, with little fear, myself, of pickpockets or garroters. Those gentry were intelligent.
"Birds, sir, grouse, woodcock, partridge, canvas-backs, and quails; meats, venison, and oysters, master-did up in any shape what the gentlemen wish. Wines, &c., if they want," replied the servant, without any of the negro dialect, at the same time making a low bow to Master George. "Name it! name your dishes, gentlemen! Don't be backward.
Monday," said the captain; "there are too many soft crabs, hard clams, and canvas-backs; too much old Madeira, and generous Sherry, for a man of your well-known taste to resist them. Sit less time at table, and go oftener to church this trip, and let us hear your report of the consequences a twelve-month hence." "You quite mistake my habits, Captain Truck, I give you my honour.
In reply to the general and stereotyped query, "Shoot anything?" one of the erring pair replies, "Yes, we shot several canvas-backs, but lost them in the reeds; didn't we, old un?" "Yes, five," promptly asserts "old un," a truthful young man of about three-and-twenty summers.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking