DAIRY PRODUCE, EGGS AND POULTRY. 369 



I have found woodcocks in twenty-three years. The price 

 of no game varies so much, both in the same year and from 

 year to year. In 1587 it is bought at 6d., in 1588 at id. 

 In 1599 it varies in different localities from id. to Sd. The 

 known habits of this bird account for much. Its appearance 

 is capricious at all times, and even where it is found, its 

 scarcity or frequency depends on the character of the winter. 

 It is cheapest by far in the north of England. But in 1591 

 it costs lid. at Gawthorp in Lancashire, the price being 

 generally id., while it is i\d. in Worksop. The Star Chamber 

 gives a high price, is. id. These birds are dear in 1613, 1614, 

 1691, and 1692, the last being Oxford prices. It is never 

 purchased of course except during the winter months. The 

 general average from all the entries, cheap and dear alike, is 

 a fraction above Sd. 



Snipes, sometimes called snytes, are generally purchased by 

 the dozen. I have found them for fifteen years. They also 

 vary much in price. In 1591 they are bought at J$d. the 

 dozen, in 1594 at 4^. In 1617, the Bath feast, which is held 

 in July, buys twelve dozen 'snipe' at $s. %\d. Unless there 

 is an error in the name, it is difficult to see where they came 

 from in July. In 1692, the Oxford feast buys three at the 

 high price of 8d. each. There is nothing to denote whether 

 the bird is the jack or the great snipe. The average from all 

 the entries, high and low included, is nearly is. 5 \d. the 

 dozen. 



Several different kinds of plovers are quoted in the accounts. 

 Some are merely named thus. But there are also green 

 plovers, grey plovers, right plovers, stone plovers, and bas- 

 tard plovers. It is said also that stints, found early in the 

 period, are a kind of plovers. Plovers by this name only occur 

 in thirteen years, and range in price from the Star Chamber 

 purchase at 8j. a dozen to is. in the latest entry. The 

 average price of the whole number of entries is 4^. Right 

 plovers occur three times, always at 6s. a dozen. Bastard 

 plovers twice, at an average of 3*. 6d. a dozen. Green plovers 



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