BIRDS AS FOOD. 313 



many kinds, which must always be esteemed a peculiar 

 delicacy; and it is rare, perhaps impossible, to find 

 a country where good birds are not to be found in the 

 wild state. We need not go further to seek for ex- 

 amples of this than our own grouse, partridge, snipe, 

 woodcock, and teal, all either indigenous or constant vis- 

 itors to Great Britain. In tropical countries there is the 

 guinea fowl, the jungle fowl, and so forth. A long 

 list of delicately flavoured game birds might be given, 

 each of which is highly esteemed by the lovers of good 

 cheer, in its own particular district or country. Then 

 again their numbers are out of all proportion greater 

 than those of the larger game animals, and they are 

 much more easily brought to bag by the average 

 sportsman, than almost any kind of four-footed game. 

 They are also found almost everywhere in the forest 

 and on the plains; on the mountain and in the valley; 

 upon dry grounds, and in swamps; and last but not 

 least aquatic birds literally teem upon the lakes, pools, 

 rivers, and other waters, and even upon the stormy 

 ocean itself, where they ride in peaceful security 

 bidding defiance to the power of the seas. It will 

 thus be observed that we use the term "wildfowl" 

 in its largest sense, and include therein every species 

 of wild bird by land or sea. We are aware however, 

 that the word "wildfowl" is generally used to denote 

 only aquatic birds such as ducks and geese, and other 

 similar species, whose home is sometimes on the sea, 

 and sometimes on inland waters, but all of them as a 

 rule are of a migratory habit, constantly shifting their 

 quarters. But we see no good reason for excluding, 

 say the swallow, the pigeon, or the woodcock from 

 this category of wildfowl. There is no bird for in- 



