CHAPTER XI 



BIRDS AS FOOD 



1. In Europe. 2. Bird Eggs. 3. Edible Bird Nesta. 4. History 

 of American Birds as Food. 5. An Economic Resource of 

 the United States. 



In Europe 



Birds and their eggs have been utilized as food 

 since the earliest years of human antiquity. In 

 the dark days before the development of agricul- 

 ture, eggs formed a staple diet for mankind, just 

 as they do at present for the Eskimos and modern 

 savage tribes. Even now both birds and eggs are 

 esteemed as delicacies by most civilized peoples, 

 though their place as a common aliment has been 

 taken to a large extent by domestic fowl. 



The birds of Europe have been consumed in 

 enormous numbers in the past. For two thousand 

 years they were considered the property of any 

 one who desired to take them. Only game-birds 

 were vouchsafed any protection, and they 

 were reserved for slaughter by persons of rank; 

 song-birds and water-fowl could be captured at 

 will at any time of the year. 



213 



