244 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
in France, is famous for the superiority of its ducklings, which 
are not bled to death as in this country, but are killed by thrusting 
a skewer through the brain, so that the blood is retained in the 
flesh of the bird. Sydney Smith has told of an arch-epicure 
on the Northern Circuit, about whom it was reported “ he took 
to bed with him concentrated lozenges of Wild Duck so as to 
have the taste constantly renewed on his palate when waking 
in the night.” Again, Douglas Jerrold has recorded it of a 
certain man, “‘ he was so tender-hearted that he would hold an 
umbrella over a Duck in the rain.” Though tasty, succulent 
birds, Ducks are somewhat foul feeders ; they will swallow any 
garbage, yet their preference is for slugs, and snails; if allowed 
to search for themselves in the early morning, and late evening 
they will soon fatten on these enemies of the gardener. By the 
early Romans the Duck, being a good swimmer, was sacrificed 
to Neptune. Plutarch assures us that Cato preserved in health 
his whole household through dieting them on roast Duck during 
a season when plague and disease were rife. In Brittany well- 
»\/fatted Ducks are salted; also the breasts are pickled, and 
smoked for a week, then dried, and stored. The Chinese esteem 
' Ducks’ tongues, when dried, as dainties. Our Aylesbury white- 
| plumaged Duck commands the highest price in the market, but 
the fibre of its meat is harder, and richer, than that of white- 
fleshed poultry. Dr. Kitchener (1820) bids the cook ‘“ contrive 
to have the Ducks’ feet delicately crisp, as some people are very 
fond of them ; to do which nicely you must have a sharp fire.” 
As a “ bonne bouche ” with the roasted bird, ‘‘ mix a teaspoonful 
of made mustard, a saltspoonful of salt, and a few grains of 
Cayenne in a large wineglassful of Claret, or Port wine; pour 
it into the Duck by a slit in the apron just before serving it up.” 
By its brown meat, and abundant bird-fat, the Duck is particu- 
larly well suited for diabetic patients. This fat is in the 
domesticated bird lard-like, but in the related wild bird it is 
oily, and of more iodine value. The Chinese have a notion that 
such material food is acceptable to their friends even after 
death. A white man who was interested in a Chinese {funeral 
asked why a Duck was left on the grave. Did they suppose 
the dead man would come back in the spirit to eat it? “* Yeppe,” 
replied the Boxer, “alle same as le white deadee man come out 
and smelle flowers!” Water-fowl, for some reason which is 
not explained, are not regarded as meat by the Roman Catholic 
