section 46 of the book of household management this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the book of household management by Isabella Beaton recipes chapter 21 part 3 roast fowls 952 ingredients a pair of fowls a little flower mode fowls to be tender should be killed a couple of days before they are dressed when the feathers come out easily then let them be picked and cooked in drawing them be careful not to break the gall bag ask wherever it touches it would impart a very bitter taste the liver and gizzard should also be preserved trust them in the following manner after having carefully picked them cut off the head and skewer the skin of the neck down over the back cut off the claws dip the legs in boiling water and scrape them turn the pinions under run a skewer through them and the middle of the legs which should be passed through the body to the pinion and leg on the other side one skewer securing the limbs on both sides the liver and gizzard should be placed in the wings the liver on one side and the gizzard on the other tie the legs together by passing a trussing needle threaded with twine through the backbone and secure it to the other side if trust like a coupon the legs are placed more apart when firmly trust singe them all over put them down to a bright clear fire paper the breasts with a sheet of buttered paper and keep the fowls well basted roast them for three quarters of an hour more or less according to the size and ten minutes before serving remove the paper drapes the fowls with a little fine flour put a piece of butter into the basting ladle an asset melts base the fowls with it when nicely frothed and of a rich color serve with a good brown gravy a little of which should be poured over the fowls and a tourine of well-made bread sauce number 371 mushroom oyster or egg sauce a very suitable accompaniments to roast foul chicken is roasted in the same manner time a very large foul quite one hour medium-sized one three-quarters of an hour chicken half an hour or rather longer average cost in full season five shillings a pair when scarce seven shillings and six pence the pair sufficient for six or seven persons seasonable all the year but scarce in early spring the diseases of fouls and how to cure them the diseases to which gullis domesticus is chiefly liable a roof pip scouring and chip the first mentioned is the most common of all and results from cold the ordinary symptoms swollen eyes running at the nostrils and the purple color of the wattles part birds so affected from the healthy ones as when the disease is at its height it is as contagious as gland is among horses wash out the nostrils with warm water give daily a peppercorn enclosed in dough bathe the eyes and nostrils with warm milk and water if the head is much swollen bathed with warm brandy and water when the bird is getting well put half a spoonful of sulfur in his drinking water some fanciers prescribed for this disease half a spoonful of table salt dissolved in half a gill of water in which roux has been steeped others pills composed of ground rice and fresh butter but the remedy first mentioned will be found far the best as there is a doubt respecting the wholesomeness of the eggs laid by rupee hens it will be as well to throw them away the pip is a white horny skin growing on the tip of the bird's tongue it should be removed with a point of a pen knife and the place rubbed with salt foul and rice croquettes an entree 953 ingredients a quarter of a pound of rice one quarter of stock or broth three ounces of butter minced foul egg and breadcrumbs mode put the rice into the above proportion of cold stock or broth and let it boil very gently for half an hour then add the butter and simmer it till quite dry and soft when cold make it into balls hollow out the inside and fill with minced foul made by recipe number 956 the mince should be rather thick cover over with rice dip the balls into egg sprinkle them with breadcrumbs and fry a nice brown dish them and garnish with fried parsley oysters white sauce or a little cream may be stirred into the rice before it cools time half an hour to boil the rice ten minutes to fry the croquettes average cost exclusive of the foul eight pence seasonable at any time chip if the birds are allowed to puddle about on wet soil or to be much out in the rain they will get chip young chicks are especially liable to this complaint they will sit shivering and out of the way corners perpetually uttering a Dolores cheap cheap seemingly frozen with cold though on handling them they are found to be in high fever a wholesale breeder would take no pains to attempt the cure foul so afflicted but they who keep chickens for the pleasure and not for the profit they yield will be inclined to recover them if possible give them none but warm food half a peppercorn rolled in a morsel of dough every night and a little nitra in their water above all keep them warm a corner in the kitchen fender for a day or two will do more to affect the cure than the run of a druggist warehouse croquettes of foul and entree nine five four ingredients three or four shallots one ounce of butter one teaspoon full of flour white sauce pepper salt and powdered mace to taste half a teaspoon full of powdered sugar the remains of cold roast vows the yolks of two eggs egg and breadcrumbs mode mince the foul carefully removing all skin and bone and fry the shallots in the butter add the minced foul dredge in the flour put in the pepper salt mace powdered sugar and sufficient white sauce to moisten it stir to it the yolks of two well-beaten eggs and set it by to cool then make the mixture up into balls egg and breadcrumb them and fry a nice brown they may be served on a border of mashed potatoes with gravy or sauce in the center time 10 minutes to fry the balls seasonable at any time the turn what is termed terling with songbirds is known as regard fouls as the turn its origin is the same in both cases overfeeding and want of exercise without a moment's warning a foul so afflicted will totter and fall from its perch and unless assistance be at hand speedily give up the ghost the veins of the pallet should be opened and a few drops of mixture composed of six parts of sweet nitra and one of ammonia poured down its throat I've seen ignorant keepers plunge a bird stricken with the turn into cold water but I never saw it taken out again alive and for a good reason the sudden chill has the effect of driving the blood to the head of aggravating the disease indeed instead of relieving it hashed foul an entree cold meat cookery 9 5 5 ingredients the remains of cold roast foul one pint of water one onion two or three small carrots one blade of pounded mace pepper and salt to taste one small bunch of savory herbs thickening a butter and flour one and a half table spoon full of mushroom ketchup mode cut off the best joints from the foul and the remainder make into gravy by adding the bones and trimmings to a pint of water and onion sliced and fried of a nice brown the carrots mace seasoning and herbs but these stew gently for one and a half hours strain the liquor and thicken with a little flour and butter lay in the foul thoroughly warm it through add the ketchup and garnish with snippets of toasted bread time altogether one and three quarters of an hour average cost exclusive of the cold foul four pence seasonable at any time skin disease in fouls skin disease is nine times out of ten caused by the feathers being swarmed by parasites poor feeding will induce this even if cleanliness be observed uncleanness however liberal the bill affair will be taken as an invitation by the little biting pests and heartily responded to mix half a teaspoon full of hydroxylic acid with 12 teaspoon falls of water apply to the itching parts with an old shaving brush obstruction of the crop obstruction of the crop is occasioned by weakness or grudiness you may know when a bird is so afflicted by his crop being distended almost a bursting Movery tells of a hand of his in this predicament when the crop was opened a quantity of new beans were discovered in a state of vegetation the crop should be slit from the bottom to the top with the sharp pair of scissors the contents taken out and the slit sewed up again with thread minced foul an entree cold meat cookery nine five six ingredients the remains of cold roast foul two hard boiled eggs salt cane and pounded mace one onion one faggot of savory herbs six table spoonfuls of cream one ounce of butter two teaspoon falls of flour a half teaspoon full of finely minced lemon peel one tablespoon full of lemon juice mode cut out from the foul all the white meat and mince it finally without any skin or bone put the bones skin and trimmings into a stew pan with an onion a bunch of savory herbs a blade of mace and nearly a pint of water let this stew for an hour then strain the liquor chop the eggs small mix them with the foul add salt cane and pounded mace put in the gravy and remaining ingredients that the whole just boil and serve with snippets of toasted bread time rather more than one hour average cost exclusive of the foul 8 pence seasonable at any time note another way to make this is to mince the foul and warm it in white sauce or bechamel when dressed like this three or four poached eggs may be placed on the top oysters or chopped mushrooms or balls of oyster force meat may be laid around the dish the malting season during the malting season beginning properly at the end of September the fouls will require a little extra attention keep them dry and warm and feed them liberally on warm and satisfying food if in any foul the malt should seem protracted examine it for broken feather stumps still beaded in the skin if you find any extract them carefully with a pair of tweezers if a foul is hearty and strong six weeks will see him out of his trouble if he is weekly or should take cold during the time he will not thoroughly recover in less than three months it is seldom or ever that hens will lay during the malt while the cock during the same period will give so little of his consideration to the frivolities of love that you may as well nay much better keep him by himself till he perfectly recovers a malting chicken makes but a sorry dish hashed foul Indian fashion an entree nine five seven ingredients the remains of cold roast foul three or four sliced onions one apple two ounces of butter pounded mace pepper and salt to taste one tablespoon full of curry powder two tablespoons of vinegar one tablespoon full of flour one teaspoon full of powdered sugar one pint of gravy mode cut the onions into slices mince the apple and fry these in the butter add pounded mace pepper salt curry powder vinegar flour and sugar in the above proportions when the onion is brown put it in the gravy which should be previously made from the bones and trimmings of the fouls and stew for three quarters of an hour add the foul cut into nice size joints let it warm through and when quite tender serve the dish should be garnished with an edging of boiled rice time one hour average cost exclusive of the foul eight pence seasonable at any time the scour or dysentery the scour or dysentery or diarrhea is induced variously a sudden alteration and diet will cause it as well a super abundance of green food the best remedy is a piece of toasted biscuit soft in ale if the disease has too tight a hold on the bird to be quelled by this give six drops of white poppies and six drops of castor oil mixed with a little oatmeal or ground rice restrict the birds diet for a few days to dry food crushed beans or oats stale breadcrumbs etc. foul scallops cold meat cookery nine five eight ingredients the remains of cold roast or boiled foul half a pint of bechamel number three six seven or white sauce number five three seven or five three nine mode strip off the skin from the foul cut the meat into thin slices and warm them in about half a pint or rather more of bechamel or white sauce when quite hot serve and garnish the dish with rolled ham or bacon toasted time one minute to simmer the slices of foul seasonable at any time the feather legged Bantam since the introduction of the Bantam into Europe it has ramified into many varieties none of which are destitute of elegance and some indeed remarkable for their beauty all are or ought to be of small size but lively and vigorous exhibiting in their movements both grace and statelyness the variety shown in the engraving is remarkable for the Tasi or beams of the legs being plumbed to the toes with stiff long feathers which brush the ground owing possibly to the little care taken to preserve this variety from a mixture it is now not frequently seen another variety is often red with black breast and single dentated comb the Tasi a smooth and of a dusky blue when this sort of Bantam is pure it yields and courage and spirit to none and is in fact a game foul and miniature being as beautiful and graceful as it is spirited a pure white Bantam possessing all the qualifications just named is also bred in the Royal Avery at Windsor an Indian dish of foul and entree nine five nine ingredients the remains of cold roast foul three or four sliced onions one tablespoon full of curry powder salt to taste mode divide the foul into joints slice and fry the onions in a little butter taking care not to burn them sprinkle over the foul a little curry powder and salt fry these nicely pile them high in the center of the dish cover with the onion and serve with a cut lemon on a plate care must be taken that the onions are not greasy they should be quite dry but not burnt time five minutes to fry the onions ten minutes to fry the foul average cost exclusive of the foul four pence seasonable during the winter month the speckled Hamburg of the speckled or spangled Hamburg which is a favorite breed with many persons there are two varieties the golden speckled and the silver speckled the general color of the former is golden or orange yellow each feather having a glossy dark brown or black tip particularly remarkable on the hackles of the cock and the wing cover it's and also the darker feathers of the breast the female is yellow or orange brown the feathers and like manner being margined with black the silver speckled variety is distinguished by the ground color of the plumage being of a silver white with perhaps a tinge of straw yellow every feather being margined with a semi-lunar mark of glossy black both of these varieties are extremely beautiful the hens laying freely first-rate birds command a high price foul saute with peas and entree 960 ingredients the remains of cold roast foul two ounces of butter pepper salt and powdered maester taste one dessert spoonful of flour half a pint of weak stock one pint of green peas one teaspoon full of powdered sugar mode cut the foul into nice pieces put the butter into a stew pan saute or fry the foul a nice brown color previously sprinkling it with the pepper salt and pounded mace dredge in the flour shake the ingredients well round then add the stock and peas and stewed to the latter a tender which will be in about 20 minutes put in the pounded sugar and serve placing the chicken round and the peas in the middle of the dish when liked mushrooms may be substituted for the peas time altogether 40 minutes average cost exclusive of the foul seven pence seasonable from June to August buddha a la rain and entree mature or days recipe 961 ingredients the remains of cold roast fouls one pint of bechamel number 367 salt and cane to taste egg and breadcrumbs mode take the breast and nice white meat from the fouls cut it into small dice of an equal size and throw them into some good bechamel made by recipe number 367 season with salt and cane and put the mixture into a dish to cool when this preparation is quite cold cut it into two equal parts which should be made into buddhans of a long shape the size of the dish they are intended to be served on roll them and flour egg and bread crumb them and be careful that the ends are well covered with the crumbs otherwise they would break in the frying pan fry them a nice color put them before the fire to grain the greasy moisture from them and serve with the remainder of the bechamel poured round this should be thinned with a little stock time 10 minutes to fry the buddhans average cost exclusive of the foul one shilling and three pence sufficient for one entree Sir John Seabright's Bantams above all Bantams is placed the celebrated and beautiful breed called Sir John Seabright's Silver Bantams this breed which Sir John brought to perfection after years of careful trials is very small with unfettered legs and a rose comb and short hackles the plumage is gold or silver spangled every feather being of a golden orange or of a silver white with a glossy jet black margin the cocks have the tail folded like that of a hen with the sickle feathers shortened straight or nearly so and broader than usual the term hen cocks is in consequence often applied to them but although the sickle feathers are thus modified no bird possesses a higher courage or a more gallant carriage the attitude of the cock is indeed singly proud and he is often seen to bear himself so haughtily that his head thrown back as if in disdain nearly touches the two upper feathers sickles they can scarcely be called off his tail half-breed birds of this kind are not uncommon but birds of the pure breed are not to be obtained without trouble and its pence indeed some time ago was almost impossible to procure either a fowl or an egg the finest says the writer whom we have consulted as to this breed we have ever seen were in Sir John's paltry yard adjacent to Ternum green common in the by-road leading to Acton fowl a la mayonnaise 962 ingredients a cold roast fowl mayonnaise sauce number 468 four or five young lettuces four hard boiled eggs a few watercressers and dive mode cut the fowl into neat joints lay them in a deep dish piling them high in the center sauce the fowl with mayonnaise made by recipe number 468 and garnish the dish with young lettuces cut in halves watercressers and dive and hard-boiled eggs these may be sliced in rings or laid on the dish hole cutting off at the bottom a piece of the white to make the egg stand all kinds of cold meat and solid fish may be dressed a la mayonnaise and make excellent luncheon or supper dishes the sauce should not be poured over the fowls until the moment of serving should a very large mayonnaise be required use two fowls instead of one with an equal proportion of the remaining ingredients average cost with one fowl three shillings and six pence sufficient for a moderate size dish seasonable from April to September black Spanish the real Spanish fowl is recognized by its uniformly black color burnished with tints of green its peculiar white face and the large development of its comb and wattle the hens are excellent layers and their eggs are of a very large size they are however bad nurses consequently their eggs should be laid in the nest of other varieties to be hatched in purchasing Spanish says an authority blue legs the entire absence of white or colored feathers in the plumage and a large white face with a very large high comb which should be erect in the cock though pendant in the hands should be insisted on the flesh of this fowl is esteemed but from the smallest of its body when compared with that of the dorking it is not placed on an equality with it for the table otherwise however they are profitable birds and their handsome carriage and striking contrast of color in the comb face and plumage are a high recommendation to them as kept fowls for a town fowl they are perhaps better adapted than any other variety fowl pull out based on mature Soyos recipe an Indian dish nine six three ingredients one pound of rice two ounces of butter a fowl two quarts of stock or good broth 40 cardamom seeds half an ounce of coriander seed one quarter of an ounce of cloves one quarter of an ounce of allspice one quarter of an ounce of mace one quarter of an ounce of cinnamon half an ounce of peppercorns four onions six thin slices of bacon two hard boiled eggs mode well wash one pound of the best patina rice put it into a frying pan with the butter which keep moving over a slow fire until the rice is lightly brown trust the fowl as for boiling put it into a stew pan with a stock or broth pound the spices and seeds thoroughly in a mortar tie them in a piece of muslin and put them in with the fowl let it boil slowly until it is nearly done then add the rice which should stew until quite tender and almost dry cut the onions into slices sprinkle them with flour and fry without breaking them of a nice brown color have ready the slices of bacon curled and grilled and the eggs boiled hard lay the fowl in the form of a pyramid upon a dish smother with the rice garnish with the bacon fried onions and the hard boiled eggs cut into quarters and serve very hot before taking the rice out remove the spices time half hour to stew the fowl without the rice half hour with it average cost four shillings and three pence sufficient for four or five persons seasonable at any time the Sarai taok or fowls of the Sultan this foul is the size of our English pollens and is the latest species introduced to England they have a white and flowing plumage a full-sized compact pollen tuft on the head a muffed have a full flowing tail short legs well feathered and five toes upon each foot their comb consists merely of two little points and their wattles are very small their color is that of a pure white in January 1854 they arrived in this country from Constantinople and they take their name from Sarai the Turkish word for sultan's palace and ta'uk the Turkish for fowl they are thus called the fowls of the Sultan a name which has the two-fold advantage of being the nearest to be found to that by which they have been known in their own country and of designating the country whence they come their habits are described as being generally brisk and happy-tempered but not so easily kept as the Cotchin Chinas they are excellent layers but they are non-sitters and small eaters their eggs are large and white Brahmas or Cotchins will clear the crop of a grass run long before they will and with scattered food they soon satisfy themselves and walk away Puyar a Cresson 964 ingredients a fowl a large bunch of watercressers three tablespoons of vinegar a quarter pint of gravy mode trust and roast a fowl by recipe number 952 taking care that it is nicely frothed and brown wash and dry the watercressers pick them nicely and arrange them in a flat layer on a dish sprinkle over a little salt and the above proportion of vinegar place over these fowl and pour over it the gravy a little gravy should be served in a tureen when not liked the vinegar may be admitted time from half to one hour according to size average cost in full season two shillings and six pence each sufficient for three or four persons seasonable at any time roast fowl stuffed 965 ingredients a large fowl force meat number 417 a little flour mode select a large plump fowl fill the breast with force meat made by recipe number 417 truss it firmly the same as for a plain roast fowl dredge it with flour and put it down to a bright fire roast it for nearly or quite an hour should it be very large remove the skewers and serve with a good brown gravy and a tureen bread sauce time large fowl nearly or quite one hour average cost in full season two shillings and six pence each sufficient for four or five persons seasonable all the year but scarce in early spring note sausage meat stuffing may be substituted for the above this is now a very general mode of serving fowl penciled Hamburg this variety of Hamburg fowl is of two colors golden and silver and is very minutely marked the hands of both should have the body clearly penciled across with several bars of black and the hackle and bow sexes should be perfectly free from dark marks the cocks do not exhibit the penciling but a white or brown in the golden or silver birds respectively their form is compact and their attitudes graceful and sprightly the hands do not sit but lay extremely well hence one of their common names that of Dutch everyday layers they are also known in different parts of the country as chideprates creoles or corals Bolton bays and grays and in some parts of Yorkshire by the wrong name of Corsigan fowls they are important in large numbers from Holland but those bred in this country are greatly superior in size giblet pie 966 ingredients a set of duck or goose giblets one pound of brunt steak one onion half a teaspoon full of whole black pepper a bunch of savory herbs plain crust mode clean and put the giblets into a stew pan with an onion whole pepper and a bunch of savory herbs add rather more than a pint of water and simmer gently for about one and a half hours take them out let them cool and cut them into pieces line the bottom of a pie dish with a few pieces of brunt steak add a layer of giblets and a few more pieces of steak season with pepper and salt and pour in the gravy which should be strained that the giblets were stewed in cover with a plain crust and bake for rather more than one and a half hours in a brisk oven cover a piece of paper over the pie to prevent the crust taking too much color time one and a half hours to stew the giblets about one hour to bake the pie average cost exclusive of the giblets one shilling and four pence sufficient for five or six persons the Brent goose this is the smallest and most numerous species of the geese which visit the British islands it makes its appearance in winter and ranges over the whole of the coasts and estuaries frequented by other migrant geese mr. Selby states that a very large body of these birds annually resort to the extensive sandy and muddy flats which lie between the mainland and Holy Island on the Northumbrian coast and which are covered by every flow of the tide this part of the coast appears to have been a favorite resort of these birds from time immemorial where they have always received the name of where geese no doubt from their continually feeding on marine vegetables their flesh is very agreeable hashed goose nine six seven ingredients the remains of cold roast goose two onions two ounces of butter one pint of boiling water one dessert spoonful of flour pepper and salt to taste one tablespoon full of port wine two tablespoons of mushroom ketchup mode cut up the goose into pieces of the size required the inferior joints trimmings etc put into a stew pan to make the gravy slice and fry the onions in the butter of a very pale brown add these to the trimmings and pour over about a pint of boiling water stew these gently for three quarters of an hour then skim and strain the liquor thicken it with flour and favor with port wine and ketchup in the above proportion add a seasoning of pepper and salt and put in the pieces of goose let these get thoroughly hot through but do not allow them to boil and serve with snippets of toasted bread time all together rather more than one hour average cost exclusive of the cold goose four pence seasonable from September to March the wild goose this bird is sometimes called the grey leg and is the original of the domestic goose it is according to pennant the only species which the Britons could take young and familiarize the grey leg says Mr. Gould is known to Persia and we believe it is generally dispersed over Asia Minor it is the bird that saved the capital by its vigilance and by the Romans was cherished accordingly roast goose nine six eight ingredients goose four large onions ten sage leaves one quarter of a pound of breadcrumbs one and a half an ounce of butter salt and pepper to taste one egg choosing and trussing select a goose with a clean white skin plump breast and yellow feet if these latter are red the bird is old should the weather permit let it hang for a few days by so doing the flavor will be very much improved pluck singe draw and carefully wash and wipe the goose cut off the neck close to the back leaving the skin long enough to turn over cut off the feet at the first joint and separate the pinions at the first joint beat the breastbone flat with a rolling pin put a skewer through the under part of each wing and having drawn up the legs closely put a skewer into the middle of each and pass the same quite through the body insert another skewer into the small of the leg bring it close down to the side bone run it through and do the same to the other side now cut off the end of the vent and make a hole in the skin sufficiently large for the passage of the rump in order to keep in the seasoning mode make a sage and onion stuffing of the above ingredients by recipe number 504 put it into the body of the goose and secure it firmly at both ends by passing the rump through the hole made in the skin and the other end by tying the skin of the neck to the back by this means the seasoning will not escape put it down to a brisk fire keep it well basted and roast from one and a half to two hours according to the size remove the skewers and serve with a tourine of good gravy and one of well-made apple sauce should a very highly flavored seasoning be preferred the onions should not be parboiled but minced raw of the two methods the mild seasoning is far superior a ragu or pie should be made of the giblets or they may be stewed down to make gravy be careful to serve the goose before the breast falls or its appearance will be spoiled by coming flattened to table as this is rather a troublesome joint to carve a large quantity of gravy should not be poured around the goose but sent in a tourine time a large goose one and three quarters of an hour a moderate sized one one and one quarter to one and a half hours seasonable from September to March but imperfection from Micklemas to Christmas average cost five shillings and six pence each sufficient for eight or nine persons note a teaspoon full of made mustard a salt spoonful of salt a few grains of cane mixed with a glass of port wine are sometimes poured into the goose by a slit made in the apron this source is by many persons considered an improvement the goose this bird is pretty generally distributed over the face of the globe being met with in North America Lapland Iceland Arabia and Persia its varieties are numerous but in England there is only one species which is supposed to be a native breed the best geese are found on the borders of Suffolk and in Norfolk and in Berkshire but the largest flocks are reared in the fends of Lincolnshire and Cambridge they thrive best where they have an easy access to water and large herds of them are sent every year to London to be fattened by the metropolitan paltries a Micklemas goose says Dr. Kitchener is as famous in the Mowse of the Million as the minced pie at Christmas yet for those who eat with delicacy it is at that time too full-grown the true period when the goose is at the highest perfection is when it has just acquired its full growth and not begun to harden if the March goose is insipid the Micklemas goose is rank the fine time is between both from the second week in June to the first in September it is said that the Micklemas goose is indebted to Queen Elizabeth for its origin on the table at that season the Majesty happened to dine on one at the table of an English Baronette when she received the news of the discomforture of the Spanish amada in commemoration of this event she commanded the goose to make its appearance at table on every Micklemas to dress a green goose nine six nine ingredients goose three ounces of butter pepper and salt to taste mode geese are called green to lay about four months old and should not be stuffed after it has been singed and trust the same as in the preceding recipe put into the body a seasoning of pepper and salt and the butter to moisten it inside roast before a clear fire for about three quarters of an hour froth and brown it nicely and serve with a brown gravy and when liked gooseberry sauce this dish should be garnished with watercressers time about three quarters of an hour average cost four shillings and six pans each sufficient for five or six persons seasonable in June July and August the Egyptian goose a special attention has been directed to this bird by Herodotus who says it was held sacred by the ancient Egyptians which has been partially confirmed by modern travelers Mr. Salt remarks Horus Apollo says the old geese stay with their young in the most imminent danger at the risk of their own lives which I have myself frequently witnessed Valpansia is the goose of the Nile and wherever this goose is represented on the walls of the temples in colors the resemblance may be clearly traced the goose is also said to have been a bird under the care of Isis it has been placed by Mr. Gould amongst the birds of Europe not from the number of half reclaimed individuals which are annually shot in Britain but from the circumstance of its occasionally visiting the southern parts of the continent from its native country Africa roast guinea fowl larded 970 ingredients a guinea fowl lardons flour and salt mode when this bird is larded it should be trust the same as a pheasant if plainly roasted trust it like a turkey after larding and trusting it put it down to roast at a brisk fire keep it well basted and a short time before serving dredge it with a little flour and let it froth nicely serve with a little gravy in the dish and a tourine of the same and one of well-made bread sauce time guinea fowl larded one and one quarter hours plainly roasted about one hour sufficient for six persons seasonable in winter note the breast if larded should be covered with a piece of paper and removed about ten minutes before serving the guinea fowl this bird takes its name from Guinea in Africa where it is found wild and in great abundance it is gregarious in its habits associating in flocks of two or three hundred delighting in marshy grounds and at night perching upon trees or on high situations it sizes about the same as that of a common hen but it stands higher on its legs though domesticated it retains much of its wild nature and is apt to wander the hens lay abundantly and the eggs are excellent in their flesh however they are not so white as the common fowl but more inclined to the colour of a pheasant for which it frequently makes a good substituted table the flesh is both savory and easy of digestion and is in season when game is out of season lark pie an entree 971 ingredients a few thin slices of beef the same of bacon nine larks flour for stuffing one teacup full of breadcrumbs half teaspoon full of minced lemon peel one teaspoon full of minced parsley one egg salt and pepper to taste one teaspoon full of chopped shallot half a pint of weak stock or water puff paste mode make a stuffing of breadcrumbs minced lemon peel parsley and the yolk of an egg all of which should be well mixed together roll the larks in flour and stuff them line the bottom of a pie dish with a few slices of beef and bacon over these place the larks and season with salt pepper minced parsley and chopped shallot in the above proportion pour in the stock or water cover with crust and bake for an hour in a moderate oven during the time the pie is baking shake it two or three times to assist in thickening the gravy and serve very hot time one hour average cost one shilling and six pence a dozen sufficient for five or six persons seasonable in full season in November roast larks 972 ingredients larks egg and breadcrumbs fresh butter mode these birds are by many persons esteemed a great delicacy and maybe either roasted or broiled pick gut and clean them when they are trust brush them over with the yolk of an egg sprinkle with breadcrumbs and roast them before a quick fire base them continually with fresh butter and keep sprinkling with the breadcrumbs until the birds are well covered dish them on breadcrumbs fried in clarified butter and garnish the dish with slices of lemon broiled larks are also very excellent they should be cooked over a clear fire and would take about 10 minutes or one quarter of an hour time a quarter of an hour to roast 10 minutes to broil seasonable in full season in November note larks may also be plainly roasted without covering them with egg and breadcrumbs they should be dished on fried crumbs end of section 46 section 47 of the book of household management this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information auto volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the book of household management by Isabella Beaton recipes chapter 21 part 4 broiled pigeons 973 ingredients pigeons three ounces of butter pepper and salt to taste mode take care that the pigeons are quite fresh and carefully pluck draw and wash them split the backs rub the birds over with butter season them with pepper and salt and boil them over a moderate fire for quarter of an hour or 20 minutes serve very hot with either mushroom sauce or a good gravy pigeons may also be plainly boiled and served with parsley and butter they should be trust like boiled fowls and take from quarter an hour to 20 minutes to boil time to broil a pigeon from quarter an hour to 20 minutes to boil one at the same time average cost from six cents to nine pence each seasonable from April to September but in the greatest perfection from mid-summer to Mickelmas the powder pigeon this is a very favorite pigeon and without doubt the most curious of his species he is a tall strong bird as he had need to be to carry about his greatly inflated crop frequently as large and as round as a middling sized turnip a perfect powder seen on a windy day is certainly a ludicrous sight his feathered legs have the appearance of white trousers his tapering tail looks like a swallow tail coat his head is entirely concealed by his immense windy protuberance and altogether he reminds you of a little swell of a past century staggering under a bale of linen the most common powders are the blues buffs and whites or an intermixture of all these various colors the powder is not a prolific breather is a bad nurse and more likely to degenerate if not repeatedly crossed and re-crossed with Irish stock than any other pigeon nevertheless it is a useful bird to keep if you are finding a new colony as it is much attached to its home and little apt to stray consequently it is calculated to induce more restless birds to settle down and make themselves comfortable if you wish to breed powders you cannot do worse than entrust them with the care of their own eggs roast pigeons 974 ingredients pigeons three ounces of butter pepper and salt to taste trussing pigeons to be good should be eaten fresh if kept a little the flavor goes off and they should be drawn as soon as killed cut off the heads and necks truss the wings over the backs and cut off the toes at the first joint previous to trussing they should be carefully cleaned as no bird requires so much washing mode wipe the birds very dry season them inside with pepper and salt and put about three-quarters of an ounce of butter into the body of each this makes them moist put them down to a bright fire and baste them well the whole of the time they are cooking they will be done enough in from 20 to 30 minutes garnish with fried parsley and serve with a terrine of parsley and butter bread sauce and gravy the same as for roast fowl are exceedingly nice accompaniments to roast pigeon as also egg sauce time from 20 minutes to half an hour average cost six pence to nine pence each seasonable from April to September but in the greatest perfection from midsummer to Mickelmas the pigeon the pigeon tribe forms a connecting link between the passerine birds and poultry they are widely distributed over the world some of the species being found even in the Arctic regions their chief food is grain and they drink much not at intervals like other birds but by a continuous draft like quadrupeds the wild pigeon or stock dove is the parents when saw the varieties of domestic pigeon are derived in the wild state it is still found in many parts of this island making its nest in the holes of rocks and the hollows of trees or in old towers but never like the ring dove on branches the blue house pigeon is the variety is principally reared for the table in this country and is produced from our farm yards in great numbers when young and still fed by their parents they are most preferable for the table and are called squabs and six months they are the nominated squeakers and at six months they begin to breed their flesh is accounted savory delicate and stimulating and the dark colored birds are considered to have the highest flavor while the light are esteemed to have the more delicate flesh the pigeon house or dove cot the first thing to be done towards keeping pigeons is to provide a commodious place for their reception and the next is to provide the pigeons themselves the situation or size of the dove cut will necessarily depend on convenience but there is one point which must invariably be observed and that is that every pair of pigeons has two holes or rooms to nest in this is indispensable as without it there will be no security but the constant prospect of confusion breaking of eggs and the destruction of young the proper place for the pigeon house is the poultry yard but it does very well near dwelling stables brew houses bake houses or such offices some persons keep pigeons in rooms and have them making their nests on the floor the object is to escape the danger of the young falling out but in such a case there is a great risk of rats or other vermin getting at the pigeons aspect of the pigeon house the front of the pigeon house should have a south-west aspect and if a room be selected for the purpose it is usual to break a hole in the roof of the building for the passage of the pigeons but which can be closed at convenience a platform ought to be laid at the entrance for the pigeons to perch upon with some kind of defense against strange cats which will frequently depopulate a whole dove cot yet although cats are dangerous neighbors for the birds they are necessary to defend them from the approach of rats and mice which will not only suck the eggs but destroy the birds the platform should be painted white and renewed as the paint wears off white being a favorite color with pigeons and also most conspicuous as a mark to enable them to find their house the boxes ought to be similarly painted and renewed when necessary for which purpose lime and water will do very well the necessity of cleanliness as cleanliness in human habitations is of the first importance so it is in the pigeon house there the want of it will soon render the place a nuisance not to be approached and the birds both young and old will be so covered with vermin and filth that they will neither enjoy health or comforts while early mortality amongst them will be almost certain in some cases the pigeon house is clean daily but it should always be done at any rate once a week and the floor covered with sifted gravel frequently renewed pigeons being extremely fond of water and having a presence of the coming of rain they may be seen upon the house tops waiting upon it till late in the evening and then spreading their wings to receive the luxury of a refreshing shower when they are confined in a room therefore they should be allowed a wide pan of water to be often renewed this serves them for a bath which cools refreshers and assists them to keep their bodies clear of vermin breeding pigeons in breeding pigeons it is necessary to match a cock and hen and shut them up together or place them near to each other and in the course of a day or two there is little doubt of their mating various rules have been laid down for the purpose of assisting to distinguish the cock from the hen pigeons but the masculine forwardness and action of the cock is generally so remarkable that he's easily acetone the pigeon being monogamous the male attaches and confines himself to one female and the attachment is reciprocal and the fidelity of the dove to its mate is proverbial at the age of six months young pigeons are termed squeakers and then begin to breed when properly managed their courtship and the well-known tone of voice of the cock then just acquired and commencing are indications of their approaching union nestlings while fed by cock and hen are termed squabs and are at that age sold and used for the table the dove house pigeon is said to breed monthly when well supplied with food at all events it may be dependent on that pigeons of almost any healthy and well-established variety will breed eight or nine times in the year once it may readily be conceived how vast are the numbers that may be raised the carrier pigeon without doubts the carrier is entitled to rank first in the pigeon family with the exception perhaps of the blue rock pigeons no domestic fowl can be traced to so remote and antiquity when grace within its glory carrier pigeons were used to convey to distant parts the names of the victors at the olympian games during the holy war when acro was besieged by king richard salivate and habitually corresponded with the besieged by means of carrier pigeons a shaft from an english crossbow however happened to bring one of those feathered messengers to the ground and the stratagem was discovered the design of the saracens revealed and so turned against the designers that acro was in the hands of the christians before the wily salad and dreamt of such a thing pigeon pie epsom grandstand recipe nine seven five ingredients one and a half pounds of rump steak two or three pigeons three slices of ham pepper and salt to taste two ounces of butter four eggs puff crust mode cut the steak into pieces about three inches square and with it line the bottom of a pie dish seizing it well with pepper and salt clean the pigeons rub them with pepper and salt inside and out and put into the body of each rather more than half an ounce of butter lay them on the steak and a piece of ham on each pigeon add the yolks of four eggs and half fill a dish with stock place a border of puff pastry around the edge of the dish put on the cover and ornament it in any way that may be preferred clean three of the feet and place them in a hole made in the crust at the top this shows what kind of pie it is graze the crust that is to say brush it over with the yolk of an egg and bake it in a well heated oven for about one and a quarter hours when night a seasoning of pounded mace may be added time one and a quarter hour or rather less average cost five shillings and three pence sufficient for five or six persons seasonable at any time tumbler pigeons the smaller the size of this variety the greater its failure the head should be round and smooth the neck thin and the tail similar to that of the turbid highly bred birds of this variety will entail an elevation in their fight beyond that of any other pigeons and it is in seeing these little birds win themselves so far into the skies that the fanciest takes such delight for four or five hours tumblers have been known to keep on the wing and it is when they are almost lost to the power of human vision they exhibit those pantomimic feats which give them their name and which are marked by a tumbling over and over process which suggests the idea of them having suddenly become giddy being deprived of their self-control or overtaken by some calamity this acrobatic propensity in these pigeons has been ascribed to some to the absence of a proper power in the tail but it is nothing more than a natural habit for which no adequate reason can be assigned of this variety the arm and tumble is the most beautiful and the greater the variation of the color in the flight and tail the greater their value the runt pigeon this is generally assumed among the largest of the pigeon varieties and being possessed of proportionate strength with a strong propensity to exercise it they keep the dove got in a state of almost continual commotion by domineering over the weaker inmates they breed tolerably well however and are valuable for the table there is both the leg horn and the Spanish runt pretty variously plumage but when red white or black models are the most highly esteemed one of the great advantages connected with the runt is that he is not likely to fly away from home being heavy birds they find it difficult when well fed to mount even to a low house top again they require no loft or special dwelling place but if properly tendered will be perfectly satisfied and thrive as well in a rabbit hutch as anywhere their flavor is very good and is not uncommon for a squeaker runt to exceed a pound and a quarter in weight the nun pigeon the tumbler bears a strong resemblance to this variety which is characterized by a tuft of feathers rising from the back of the head and which on the whole is an extremely pretty little bird according to the color of the head it is called the red black or yellow headed numb to be a perfect bird it should have a small head and beak and the larger the tuft at the back of his head the handsome of the bird is esteemed and proportionately valuable in the eyes of pigeon fanciers the trumpeter pigeon from the circumstance of this bird imitating the sound of a trumpet instead of cooing like the other pigeons it has received its designation it is of the middle size having legs and feet covered with feathers and its plumage generally of a mottled black and white it has a tuft springing from the root of its beak and the larger this top knot is the higher the estimation in which the breed is held in their power of trumpeting some are more expert than others and whether this had any effect in influencing their own estimate of themselves we cannot say but they are rather select in the choice of their company if two of them are put in a pigeon house with other doves it will be found that they can find their association almost entirely to each other as much as two guineas have been paid for a well-trained docile bird of this kind a wood or wild pigeon puff on enumerates upwards of 30 varieties of the pigeon which he derives from one root there's the stock dove or common wild pigeon all the varieties of color and form which we witness he attributes the human contrivance and fancy nevertheless there exist essentially specific differences in these birds which would appear to be attributable rather to the nature of the region soil and climate to which they are indigenous and to the art and ingenuity of man the stock dove in its wild state is still found in some parts of Britain forming its nest in the holes of rocks old towers and in the hollows of trees it never however liked the ring dove nestles in the branches multitudes of wild pigeons still visit our shores in the winter coming from their more northerly retreats making their appearance about november and retiring again in the spring when forests of beachwood covered large tracks of the ground in this country these birds used to haunt them in myriads frequently covering a mile of ground in extent when they went out in the morning to feed stewed pigeon nine seven six ingredients six pigeons a few slices of bacon three ounces of butter two tablespoon fulls of mince parsley sufficient stock number 104 to cover the pigeons thickening of butter and flour one tablespoon full of mushroom ketchup one teaspoon full of port wine mode empty and clean pigeons thoroughly mince the levers add these to the parsley and butter and put into the inside of the birds trust them with legs inward and put them in a stew pan with a few slices of bacon placed under and over them add the stock and stew gently for rather more than half an hour dish the pigeons strained the gravy thicken it with butter and flour add the ketchup and port wine give one boil pour over the pigeons and serve time rather more than half an hour average cost six pence to nine pence each sufficient for four or five persons seasonable from april to september the fantail pigeon this curious variety is inferior in point of size to most other varieties and is characterized by having a short slender bill pendant wings and naked legs and feet it has the power of erecting its tail in the manner of a turkey cock during which action especially when paying court to its mate it trembles or shakes like the peacock when moving about with his train expanded and in full display this power of erecting and spreading the tail is not confined to the male alone the female possesses the same power to an equal extent and otherwise resembles the male in every respect it is not very prolific and seldom succeeds so well in the area's pigeon house as most of the other clients the jackabin pigeon this variety having the power to transmit to posterity a form precisely similar with all its peculiar characters undiminished is amongst most pigeon fanciers designated as of a pure or permanent race it is distinguished by a remarkable ruffle frill of raised feathers which commencing behind the head and proceeding down the neck and breast forms a kind of hood not a knight that worn by a monk from this circumstance it has obtained its organic name of non-nane capuchin its side is one of the smallest of the domestic pigeons and its form is light and elegant it is a very productive species and having its flight considerably impeded by the size and form of its hooded frill keeps much at home and is well adapted for the avi or other buildings where pigeons are confined the turbid pigeon this variety bears a strong resemblance to the jackabin having a kind of frill in the four part of its neck occasioned by the breast feathers lying contrary wise and standing straight out the species is classed in accordance with the color of the shoulders similarly as the nuns are by the color of their heads their characteristic of excellence are a full frill short pill and small round head in germany it is called a ruffle pigeon an allusion to the feathers on its breast and it has rarely any feathers on its feet there is a peculiarity connected with this bird which somewhat lowers it in the estimation of fanciers it seldom rears more than one at a time which therefore marks it as a bird rather for amusement than profit the barb pigeon the name of this variety is a contraction of barbry from which country it originally came it is both prolific and has excellent qualities as a nurse the kind being most esteemed is that of one uniform color that of blue black being preferable to any other speckled or mottled barbs are esteemed the most common of all pigeons it is not unlike the carrier pigeon and it's a small distance might easily be mistaken for the latter it has a short beak and small bottle a spongy pinky skin around the eyes is a chief characteristic however and this increases in size till the bird is three or four years old this peculiarity is hardly distinguishable in very young birds the rock pigeon this variety in its wild state is found upon the rocky parts of the west of scotland and the bold shores of the western isles more abundant than any other parts of the british isles as the shores of the mainland are exposed to the muds of the atlantic and the comparatively small islands are surrounded by that ocean but low grounds exposed to the west the seldom covered with snow for any length of time and thus the birds easily find a supply of food the numbers which their congregate are often very great and the din of their united cry is sometimes very loud and even alarming the love of home and the certainty of returning to it is very conspicuous in the rot pigeon albeit as it is called by the french flocks from different parts of the coasts often meet on the feeding grounds but when the time of returning to rest comes round each one keeps to its own party the owl pigeon this pigeon doesn't seem to be as well known as it formerly was if we may judge from the fact that few modern writers mention it like the turbid pigeon the owl has a remarkable tuft of feathers on the breast it having been compared by some to the fill of a shirt and by others to a full blown white rose in size it is not quite so large a pigeon as a Jacobin it is said to be preferred in France above all other varieties as the bird to rear and kill for the table in England it is very far from being common indeed we have applied several peoples of pigeons who are fancy themselves acquainted with all varieties of this bird and they have been able to tell us nothing of it mr. Harrison we are our artist however has made his portrait from the life boiled rabbit 977 ingredients rabbit water mode for boiling choose rabbits with smooth and sharp claws as that the notes that they are young should these be blunt and rugged the ears dry and tough the animal is old after emptying and skinning it wash it well and cold water and let it soak for about quarter an hour in warm water to draw out the blood bring the head round to the side and fasten it there by means of a skewer run through that and the body put the rabbit into sufficient hot water to cover it let it boil very gently till tender which will be in from half to three quarters of an hour according to its size and age dish it and smother it either with onion mushroom or liver sauce or parsley and butter former is however generally preferred to any of the latter name sources when liver sauce is preferred the liver should be boiled for a few minutes and minced very finely or rubbed through a sieve before it is added to the sauce time a very young rabbit half an hour a large one three quarters of an hour an old one one hour or longer average cost from one shilling to one shilling and sixpence each sufficient for four persons seasonable from september to february the rabbit although this animal is an inhabitant of most temperate climates it does not reach so far north as the hare the wild rabbit is a native of great britain and is found in large numbers in the sandy district of norfolk and canberature its flesh is by some considered to have a higher flavor than that of a tame rabbit although it is neither so white nor so delicate the animal however becomes larger and fatter in the tame than the wild state but it is not desirable to have it so fat as it can be made curried rabbit 978 ingredients one rabbit two ounces of butter three onions one pint of stock number 104 one tablespoon full of curry powder one tablespoon full of rice one teaspoon full of mushroom powder the juice of half a lemon half a pound of rice mode empty skin and wash the rabbit thoroughly and cut it neatly into joints put it into a stew pan with the butter and sliced onions and let them acquire a nice brown color but do not allow them to blacken pouring the stock which should be boiling mix the curry powder and flour smoothly with a little water add it to the stock with the mushroom powder and simmer gently for rather more than half an hour squeeze in the lemon juice and serve in the center of a dish with an edging of boiled rice or round where economy is studded water may be substituted for the stock in this case the meat and onions must be very nicely browned a little sour apple and rasps coconut served with the curry will be found a great improvement time altogether three quarters of an hour average costs from one shilling to one shilling and six months each sufficient for four persons seasonable in winter the common or wild rabbit warrens or enclosures are frequently made in favorable localities and some of them are so large as to comprise two thousand acres the common wild rabbit is a gray color and is esteemed the best for the purposes of food its skin is valuable as an article of commerce being used for the making of hats another variety of rabbit however called the silver gray has been lately introduced to this country and it's still more valuable its color is a black ground thickly interspersed with gray hairs and its powers as a destroyer and consumer of vegetable food are well known to be enormous especially by those who have gardens in the vicinity of a rabbit warren fried rabbit nine seven nine ingredients one rabbit flour dripping one ounce of butter one teaspoon full of minced shallot two tablespoons of mushroom ketchup mode cut the rabbit into neat joints and flour them well make the dripping boiling in the frying pan put in the rabbit and fry a nice brown have ready a very hot dish put in the butter shallot and ketchup arrange the rabbit pyramidically on this and serve as quickly as possible time 10 minutes average costs from one chilling to one chilling and six months each sufficient for four or five persons seasonable from september to february note the rabbit may be brushed over with egg and sprinkled with breed crumbs and fried as above when cooked in this manner make the gravy in the pan by recipe number 866 and pour it round but not over the pieces of rabbit varieties in rabbits almost everyone knows that a rabbit is a furry animal that lives on plants and burrows in the ground that it has its varieties as well as other animals and that is frequently in a special favorite with boys among its varieties the short legs with width and substance of loin is the most honey fattens the most expeditiously it has beside the sound sliver rabbits being generally subject to defects of that part it is also the smallest variety there is a very large species of the hair color having much bone length and depth of carcass large and long ears with full eyes resembling those of the hair it might readily be taken for a hybrid or mill but for the objection to its breeding its flesh is highly colored substantial and more savory than that of a common rabbit and cook like the hair it makes a good dish the large white and yellow and white species have whiter and more delicate flesh and cooked in the same way will rival the turkey rabbits are divided into four kinds distinguished as warreners parkas hedgehogs and sweethearts the warrener as its name implies is a member of a subterranean community and is less effeminate than his kind who dwell upon the earth and have the world as their will and his fur is the most esteemed after him comes the parka whose favorite resort is a gentleman's pleasure ground where he usually breeds in great numbers and from which he frequently drives away the hairs the hedgehog is a sort of vagabond rabbit that tinker like roams about the country and would have a much better coat on his back if he were more subtle than his habits and remained more at home the sweetart is a tame rabbit with fur so sleek soft and silky that is also used to some extent in the important branch of hat making rabbit a la minute nine eight oh ingredients one rabbit quarter of a pound of butter salt and pepper to taste two blades of pounded mace three dried mushrooms two tablespoons of minced parsley two teaspoonfuls of flour two glasses of sherry one pint of water mode empty skin and wash the rabbit thoroughly and cut it into joints put the butter into a stew pan with the pieces of rabbit had salt pepper and pounded mace and let it cook until three parts done then put in the remaining ingredients and boil for about 10 minutes it will then be ready to serve fails or hair may be addressed in the same manner time altogether 35 minutes average cost from one shilling to one shilling and six beans each sufficient for four or five persons seasonable from september to february rabbit pie nine eight one ingredients one rabbit a few slices of ham salt and white pepper to taste two blades of pounded mace half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg a few force meat balls three hard boiled eggs half a pint of gravy puff crust mode cut up the rabbit which should be young remove the breastbone and bone the legs put the rabbit slices of ham force meat balls and hard eggs by turns in layers and season each layer with pepper salt pounded mace and grated nutmeg pour in about half a pint of water cover with crust and bake in a well-heated oven for about one and a half hours should the crust acquire too much color place a piece of paper over it to prevent its burning when done pour in at the top by means of the hole in the middle of the crust a little good gravy which may be made of the breast and leg bones of the rabbit and two or three shank bones flavoured with onions herbs and spices time one and a half hour average cost from one shilling to one shilling and sixpence each sufficient for five or six persons seasonable from september to february note the liver of the rabbit may be boiled minced and mixed with the force meat balls when the flavour is light for the cundity of the rabbit the fruitfulness of this animal has been the subject of wonder to all naturalists it breeds seven times in a year and generally begets seven or eight young ones at a time if we suppose this to happen regularly for a period of four years the progeny that would spring from a single pair would amount to more than a million as the rabbit however has many enemies it can never be permitted to increase its numbers to such an extent as to prove injurious to mankind for it not only furnishes man with an article of food but is by carnivorous animals of every description mercilessly sacrificed notwithstanding this however in the time of the roman power they once infested the balearic islands to such an extent that the inhabitants were obliged to implore the assistance of a military force from augustus to exterminate them regu of rabbit or hare ingredients one rabbit one teaspoon full of flour three sliced onions two ounces of butter a few thin slices of bacon pepper and salt to taste two slices of lemon one bay leaf and one glass of port wine mode slice the onions and put them into a stew pan with the flour and butter place the pan near the fire stir well as the butter melts till the onions become a rich brown colour and add by degrees a little water or gravy till the mixture is of the consistency of cream cut some thin slices of bacon lay in these with the rabbit cut into neat joints add a seasoning of pepper and salt the lemon and bay leaf and let the whole simmer till tender pour in the port wine give one boil and serve time about half an hour to simmer the rabbit average cost from one shilling to one and six pence each sufficient for four or five persons seasonable from september to february the rabbit house rabbit keeping is generally practiced by a few individuals in almost every town and by a few in almost every part of the country 40 years ago there were in the metropolis one or two considerable breeders who according to report kept from 1600 to 2000 breeding does these large establishments however have ceased to exist and london receives the supply of tame as well as wild rabbits chiefly from the country where they are kept however the rabbit house should be placed upon a dry foundation and be well ventilated exposure to rain whether externally or internally is fatal to rabbits which like sheep are liable to the rot springing from the same causes thorough ventilation and good air are indispensable where many rabbits are kept or they will neither prosper nor remain healthy for any length of time a thorough draft or passage for the air is therefore absolutely necessary and should be so contrived as to be checked in cold or wet weather by the closing or shutting of opposite doors or windows roast or baked rabbit nine eight three ingredients one rabbit force meat number four one seven buttered paper sausage meat mode empty skin and thoroughly wash the rabbit wipe it dry line the inside with sausage meat and force meat made by recipe number four one seven and to which has been added the mince liver so the stuffing inside skewer back the head between the shoulders cut off the four joints of the shoulders and legs bring them close to the body and secure them by means of a skewer wrap the rabbit in buttered paper and put it down to a bright clear fire keep it well basted and a few minutes before it is done remove the paper flour and froth it and let it acquire a nice brown color take out the skewers and serve with brown gravy and red current jelly to bake the rabbit proceed in the same manner as above in a good oven it will take about the same time as roasting time a young rabbit 35 minutes a large one about three quarters of an hour average cost from one choline to one and six pounds each sufficient for four persons seasonable from september to february the hutch hutch is a generally placed one above another to the height required by the number of rabbits and the extent of the room where a large dock is kept to make the most of room the hutches may be placed in rows with sufficient interval between for feeding and cleaning instead of being in the usual way joined to the wall it is preferable to rest the hutches upon stands about a foot above the ground for the convenience of cleaning under them each of the hutches intended for breeding should have two rooms a feeding and a bedroom those are single for the use of the wind rabbits or for the buck which are always kept separate the floor should be plain smooth that wet may run off and a common hoe with a short handle and a short broom are most convenient implements for cleaning these houses stewed rabbit nine eight four ingredients one rabbit two large onions six cloves one small teaspoon full of chopped lemon peel a few force meat balls thickening of butter and flour one large tablespoon full of mushroom ketchup mode cut the rabbit into small joints put them in a stew pan add the onion slice the cloves and mince lemon peel pour insufficient water to cover the meat and when the rabbit is nearly done drop in a few force meatballs which has been added the liver finely chopped thicken the gravy with flour and butter put in the ketchup give one boil and serve time rather more than half an hour average cost one shilling to one shilling and six per siege sufficient for four or five persons reasonable from september to february fancy rabbits the graceful fall of the years is the first thing that has looked to by a fancier next the duelap if the animal is in its prime then the colours and marked points and lastly the shape and general appearance the ears of a fine rabbit should extend not less than seven inches measured from tip to tip in a line across the skull but even should they exceed this length they're admitted with reluctance into a fancy stock and if they have a uniform and graceful droop the duelap which is the fold of skin under the neck and throat is only seen in fancy rabbits after they have attained their full growth it commences immediately under the jaw and adds greatly to the beauty of their appearance it goes down the throat and between the four legs and the so broad that it projects beyond the chin the difference between the fancy and common rabbit in the back independent of the ears is sufficient to strike the common observer fancy rabbits fetch a very high price so much as five and ten guineas and even more is sometimes given for a first rate dough if young ones are first procured from a good family the foundation of an excellent stock can be procured for a much smaller sum sometimes the ears instead of dripping down slope backwards a rabbit with this characteristic is scarcely admitted into a fancy lot and is not considered worth more than the common variety the next position is when one ear lops outwards and the other stands erect rabbits of this kind possess but little value however fine the shape and beautiful the colour although although say sometimes breed as good specimens as finer ones the forward or horn knob is one degree nearer perfection than the half lob the ears in this case slope forward and down over the forehead rabbits with this peculiarity are often perfect in other respects with the exception of the droop of the ears and often become the parents of perfect young ones those of this kind often have the power of lifting an ear erect in the air lob the ears spread out in a horizontal position like the wings of a bird in flight or the arms of a man swimming a great many excellent does have this characteristic and some of the best bread bucks in the fancy are entirely so sometimes a rabbit drops one ear completely but raises the other one so nearly horizontal as to constitute an earlop this is superior to all others except the perfect four which is so rarely to be met with but those which are merely a lot are considered as valuable rabbits if well bred and with other qualities the real lot has ears that hang down by the side of the cheek slanting somewhat outward in their descent with the open part of the ear inward and sometimes either backwards or forwards instead of perpendicular when the animal stands in an easy position the tips of the ears touch the ground the hollows of the ears in a fancy rabbit of the first kind should be turned so completely backward but only the outer part of them should remain in front they should match exactly in their descent and should stand outward as little as possible the same authority asserts that perfect lops are so rare that a breeder possessing 20 of the handsomest and most perfect does would consider himself lucky if in the course of a year he managed to raise 12 full lobbed rabbits out of them all has regard variety and purity of color and experienced breed of says the fur of fancy rabbits maybe blue or rather lead colored and white or black and white or tawny and white that is tortoise shell colored but it is not of so much importance what colors the coat of a rabbit displays as it is that those colors shall be arranged in a particular manner forming imaginary figures or fancied resemblances to certain objects hence the peculiarities of their marking have been denoted by distinctive designations what is termed the blue butterfly smut was for some time considered the most valuable of fancy rabbits it is thus named on account of having blueish or lead colored spots on either side of the nose having some resemblance to the spread wings of a butterfly what may be termed the groundwork of the rabbit's face being white a black and white rabbit may also have the face marked in a similar manner constituting a black butterfly smut but a good fancy rabbit must likewise have other marks without which it cannot be considered a perfect model of its kind this should be a blue or black patch on its back called the saddle the tail must be of the same color with the back and snout while the leg should be all white and there will be dark stripes on both sides of the body in front passing backward to meet the saddle and uniting on the top of the shoulders at the part called the withers in a horse these stripes form what is termed the chain having somewhat the appearance of a chain or collar hanging around the neck among thoroughbred fancy rabbits perhaps not one in a hundred will have all these markings clearly and exactly displayed on the coat but the more nearly the figures on the coat of a rabbit approach to the pattern described the greater will be its value so far at least as relates the color the beauty and consequent worth of a fancy rabbit however depend a good deal on its shape or what is called its carriage a rabbit is said to have a good carriage when its back is far knee arched rising two full inches above the top of its head which must be held so low as for the muzzle and the points of the ears to reach almost to the ground steward rabbits larded nine eight five ingredients one rabbit a few strips of bacon rather more than the pint of good broth or stock a bunch of savory herbs salt and pepper the taste thickening of butter and flour wine glass of sherry mode well wash the rabbit cut it into quarters lard them with blips of bacon and fry them then put them in a stew pan with the broth herbs and a seasoning of pepper and salt simultaneously until the rabbit is tender then strain the gravy thicken it with butter and flour add the sherry give one boil pour it over the rabbit and serve garnish with slices of cut lemon time rather more than half an hour average cost one trillion to one and six months each sufficient for four or five persons seasonable from september to february the hare rabbit there has been lately introduced to french tables an animal called the hare rabbit for taking of the nature characteristics and qualifications of both the hare and the rabbit it is hardly spoken of both as regards flesh and flavour and it is said to be the only hybrid which is able to perpetuate its race we hope that some enterprising ability will soon secure for english tables what would seem to be a really valuable addition to our other game and poultry dishes although it will be rather difficult to assign its proper position as within or without the meanings of game as by law established only a few specimens have been seen in england at present but there is no reason to doubt that our rabbit fanciers will prove equal to the occasion and cope successfully with our neighbours across the channel in introducing a new animal serviceable in the kitchen the angora rabbit this is one of the handsomest of all rabbits it takes its name from being an inhabitant of angora a city and district of asia minor like the well-known angora goat and cat both of which are valuable on account of their fineness of their wool and fur this rabbit is prized for its long-waved silk fur which is an article of commerce is highly esteemed we are not aware whether it is eaten by the inhabitants and but few specimens have been introduced into england where doubtless the beauty of its coat would materially suffer from the more human and less genial character of the climate to the rabbits of the ancient and mountainous district of angora the words of the wise man would seem most to apply the conious are but feeble folk yet make they their houses in the rocks a himalaya rabbit amidst the mighty himalaya mountains whose peaks are the highest on the globe the pretty rabbit here portrayed is found and this color seems to be like the snow which above the altitude of from a 13,000 to 16,000 feet perpetually crowns the summits of these monarchs of the world it is at present a very rare animal in england but will doubtless be more extensively known in the course of a few years from the earth tunneling powers of this little animal marshal declares that mankind learnt the art of fortification mining and covered roads end of section 047