Lewis: March 10, 1806

Monday March 10th 1806. About 1 P.M. it became fair and we sent out two
parties of hunters on this side of the Netul the one below and the other
above. we also directed a party to set out early in the morning and pass
the bay and hunt beyond the Kilhowanackkle. from the last we have
considerable hope as we have as yet hunted but little in that quarter. it
blew hard all day. in the evening the Indians departed. The hunters who
were over the Netull the other day informed us that they measured a pine
tree, (or fir No 1) which at the hight of a man’s breast was 42 feet in
the girth about three feet higher, or as high as a tall man could reach,
it was 40 feet in the girth which was about the circumpherence for at
least 200 feet without a limb, and that it was very lofty above the
commencement of the limbs. from the appearance of other trees of this
speceis of fir and their account of this tree, I think it may be safely
estimated at 300 feet. it had every appearance of being perfectly sound.
The black and white duck are small abut the size of the blue-winged teal,
or reather larger. the male is beautifully variagated with black and
white. the white occupys the sides of the head, breast and back, black,
the tail feathers of the wings two tufts of feathers which cover the upper
part of the wings when foalded, the neck and head. the female is darker or
has much less white about her. I take this to be the same speceis of duck
common to the Atlantic coast, and frequently called the butterbox. the
beak is wide and short, and as well as the legs, of a dark colour. the
flesh of this duck is very well flavored. the brown duck is much in form
like the duckinmallard, tho not much more than half it’s size. the colour
is an uniform mixture of yellowish and dark brown. there is nothing
remarkable in the appearance of this duck it generally resorts the same
kind of grassey marshes with the duckinmallard and feeds in a similar
manner, on grass seed, and roots. both these ducks are common to the river
for some distance above tide water as well as below. The black duck is
about the size of the bluewinged teal. their colour is a duskey black the
breast and belley somewhat lighter than the other parts, or a dark brown.
the legs stand longitudinally with the body, and the bird when on shore
stands of cours very erect. the legs and feet are of a dark brown, the
toes are four on each foot, a short one at the heel and three long toes in
front, which are unconnected with a web. the webs are attatched to each
sides of the several joints of the toe, and divided by deep sinuses at
each joint. the web assuming in the intermediate part an eliptical figure.
the beak is about two inches long, streight, flated on the sides, and
tapering to a sharp point. the upper chap somewhat longest, and bears on
it’s base at the joining of the head, a little conic protuberance of a
cartelagenous substace, being redish brown at the point. the beak is of an
ivory white colour. the eye dark. these ducks usually associate in large
flocks, and are very noisey; their note being a sharp shrill whistle. they
are usually fat and agreeably flavored; and feed principally on moss, and
other vegitable productions of the water. we did not meet with them untill
we reached tide-water, but I beleive them not exclusively confined to that
district at all seasons, as I have noticed the same duck on many parts of
the Rivers Ohio and Mississippi. the gizzard and liver are also remarkably
large in this fowl. the divers are the same with those of the Atlantic
States. the smaller species has some white feathers about the rump with no
perceptable tail and is very active and cluck in it’s motion; the body is
of a redish brown. the beak sharp and somewhat curved like that of the
pheasant. the toes are not connected but webed like those discribed of the
black duck. the larger speceis are about the size of the teal and can flye
a short distance which the small one scarcely ever attapts. they have a
short tail. their colour is also an uniform brickredish brown, the beak is
streight and pointed. the feet are of the same form of the other speceis
and the legs are remarkably thin and flat one edge being in front. the
food of both speceis is fish, and the flesh unfit for uce. the bluewinged
teal are a very excellent duck, and are the same with those of the
Atlantic coast.There are some other speceis of ducks which shall be
hereafter discribed as I may hereafter have an opportunity to examine
them.