--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Violet Iversen and D. W. Parratt collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 21 number: 4 published: 1918-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Violet Iversen and D. W. Parratt, “Outlines for Scout Workers: XXI,” *Improvement Era* 21, no. 4 (February 1918): 292–296." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2104unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2104unse start_page: 292 end_page: 296 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1918-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2104unse publication_year: 1918 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1918, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Outlines for Scout Workers: XXI Outlines for Scout Workers By Violet Iversen and D. W . Parratt XXI. The Canvas-back Duck Hast thou named all the birds without a gun? Loved the wood-rose and left it on its stock? — Emerson. 1. Why is the canvas-back duck so named? By what other three names is it known? 2. What are the three general classes of ducks and to which does the canvas-back belong? 3. Note size, color, and markings and contrast male and female in these respects. When are these contrasts most apparent? Why then? 4. In what kind of place does this bird live? What is there about the duck to indicate such a habitat? (Shape of body, wings, bill, feet, neck, color, oil glands, etc.) 5. Upon what does the canvas-back subsist? How does it procure its food? 6. For many years this duck was "the darling of epicures." What made him such? 7. Where and of what does it build its nest? In what kind of place? Why there? Does it nest in our state? If not, where? 8. When do the canvas-backs come to us and how long do they stay? 9. Describe flight, paying particular attention to speed and course. 10. Should the canvas-back be better protected? If so, in what ways? Handy Material In Huntlee bannkes es mery to bee, Whare fowles synges bothe nyght and daye. —From Child's Ballads, I, 107. OUTLINES FOR SCOUT WORKERS 293 Attention has already been called to the fact that many birds are named in imitation of the sounds they make. The chickadee, for instance, is named from its musical "chick-a-dee- dee" chatter, the phoebe from its plaintive "phoe-bee" call, and the heron from its harsh "he-ron" squawk. In like manner our most important family of water game birds have acquired its name. The members of this family habitually make the familiar "quack-quack-quack" or "duck- duck- duck" sound and in conse- quence are called ducks. This great group of water birds is often divided into three general classes. One is called the river ducks, one the deep water, and the other the fish ducks. The river ducks live almost entirely inland upon or near shallow lakes or ponds and along various sized streams of water. They are poor divers and con- sequently secure much of the food obtained from water by tipping the body in a vertical position and reaching down to the bottom of the stream or pond. The mallard is a splendid example of this class of ducks. Fish ducks usually inhabit the sea coasts and live upon animal life, especially small fish, found in the salt or brackish waters. They are expert divers, but of no particular value for table purposes. Deep water ducks are found both inland and along the sea coasts. During the greater part of the year they prefer the se- cluded inland lakes and streams, but, during the colder seasons often make for the open sea and live with the fish ducks. They are skilful divers and secure much of their food at considerable depths under water. Not many of these are suitable for table use, but those that are have been the special marks for discrim- inating sportsmen. The particular bird with which we are now concerned is the most famous of the deep water class. He measures from twenty to twenty-two inches in length. The top and front of his goose- shaped head are dark chestnut in color. The sides and back are reddish brown and this color extends downward covering the entire neck. Below this and around the upper end of the body is a rather wide ring of glossy black. The under parts are almost pure white, while the sides and back are white with fine, wavy, dark-brown bars giving the appearance of canvas. On account of this canvas-like coloring on his back he is commonly called the white-back or, more often, the canvas-back duck. His short, heavy neck has given him the additional name of bull- neck, and in some localities he is confused with the sheldrake and in consequence is wrongly called by that name. The female canvas-back wears a less showy dress than does the courting male. Her body is colored with grayish brown marked with white wavy lines. Her head is of wood brown with 294 IMPROVEMENT ERA touches of white behind the eyes and on the fore-neck. To her is given the task of tending eggs and rearing young and in this important work has but little use of showy colors. These would serve her poorly as protection against lurking enemies when she is nesting and hovering her young. The male, however, is placed in keen competition with others of his sex in winning the attentions of coveted females. In this the fellow with most attractive suit stands the best chance of winning out. During the mating season, therefore, the proud male makes good use of his distinctive toilet, but as summer ad- vances the occasion for "winning garbs" disappear and he grad- ually assumes colors and markings much like those of the better protected female. Like that of other ducks, the body of the canvas-back is boat-shaped suitable for floating upon or diving through water. His stout legs are farther back on the body than are those of the river ducks and his lead-colored feet are much longer. These together with the lobe hanging from each hind toe readily sug- gest his ability to dive and swim under water. This ability to dive, in turn, suggests the source of much of the canvas-back's food. His choicest morsel is a sort of tape or ell grass often called wild celery found at considerable depths in fresh or brackish waters. To this plant is attributed the de- licious flavor of the canvas-back meat, making it famous through- out America. But part of the time, the canvas-back feeds upon mollusks and the like and then, of course, his meat tastes fishy and is not so palatable. At one season or another, canvas-backs are found in prac- tically every part of North America. During spring and summer they range from the northern states to Alaska, breeding mostly throughout Canada and the upper tier of our western states. The nest is well constructed of grass and weeds and lined with feathers and down from the female's breast. It is hid in the long reeds or grasses bordering some secluded lake or stream. From seven to nine grayish-olive eggs are laid to the nest, covered with soft feathers and down when the duck is not covering them. Every autumn welcomes the return of the canvas-backs from their summer homes to the valleys of our state. They remain along our marshes and streams during the colder weather and at first signs of spring take wing to their northern retreats. In sheltered hollow lies the snow, While chill and damp the raw winds blow, When northward through a murky sky, The white-backs fly. But they are harbingers of spring, As swiftly to the north they wing; Soon come the blooms and clear blue sky The white-backs fly. OUTLINES FOR SCOUT WORKERS 295 The canvas-back's flight is strong, swift, and certain. He can cover an enormous distance in a short time. It is not at all unusual for him to cut the air at the rate of ninety miles per hour. He almost never dodges from danger, but speeds ahead until it is passed. At times these ducks assemble in flocks of thousands, especially along the sea coast, and when suddenly arising for flight make a noise with their powerful wings much like that of thunder. For years Chesapeake Bay was America's famous winter rendezvous for these noted ducks. At one time they were so numerous that in hiring out slaves men made special provision against the black man being fed canvas-back meat more than twice a week. But that time has gone and now people along Chesapeake Bay and in other places are trying to produce "can- vas-back" meat by feeding tame ducks on "wild celery." "It is desirable and necessary," writes Dr. William T. Horn- aday, "that every person living should know that systematic slaughter will exterminate the most populous wild species on earth, and accomplish that result in a very few years. Let it be remembered for all time that no wild species of mammal or bird can withstand systematic slaughter for commercial purposes. ***** Today this country of ours is the theater of a remarkable struggle between the great forces of destruction and the small forces of protection and preservation. In every town- ship throughout the whole United States the destroyers of wild life either are active in slaughter or are ready to become active the moment they are left free to do so. * * * * The army of destruction that annually takes the field (in the United States) against wild life, openly and according to law, contains at least 2,642,194 men and boys. * * * * The state of Utah is, with the exception of its irrigated lands, a desert state. Its stock of game, excepting the migratory ducks of Great Salt Lake, is at a very low point. The population of the state is only 373,351, but in 1911 that state sent an army of 27,800 well-armed men into the field against her pitiful remnant of game birds and quad- rupeds. And this sort of thing the people of America call 'game protection!' " Evidently, if this continues our migratory ducks will soon be "at a very low point" also. Surely all interested in the protec- tion of our bird life should give this matter serious considera- tion. To a Waterfowl Whither, 'midst falling dew, While glow the heavens with the last steps of day. Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue Thy solitary way? 296 IMPROVEMENT ERA Vainly the fowler's eye Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, As, darkly painted on the crimson sky, Thy figure floats along. Seek'st thou the plashy brink Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide, Or where the rocky billows rise and sink On the chafed ocean side? There is a power whose care Teaches thy way along that pathless coast, — The desert and illimitable air, — Lone wandering, but not lost. All day thy wings have fanned, At that far height, the cold, thin atmosphere, Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, Though the dark night is near. And soon that toil shall end; Soon shalt thou find a summer home and rest, Ani scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend, Soon, o'er thy sheltered nest. Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven Hath swallowed up thy form; yet, on my heart Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given And shall not soon depart. He who from zone to zone Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, In the long way that I must tread alone, Will lead my steps aright. — William Cullen Bryant.