196 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. ix. 



occasion, capons, which were plentiful, cost 

 two shillings and sixpence ; and the price of 

 a bustard, which was not then a very rare 

 bird in this country, was ten shillings. In- 

 deed, Tusser, — who soon after published his 

 ' Five Hundred Pointes of Goode Husban- 

 drie,' — thus mentions them as commonly 

 used in the homely Christmas fare of our 

 farmers : — 



" Goode breade and goode drinke, a goode fire in the hall, 

 Brawne, Pudding and souse, and goode mustarde withal; 

 Beefe, mutton, and porke, shiedde-j^es of the best, 

 Pigge, veale, goose, and capon, and turkey well diest, 

 Cheese, apples, and nuts, jnllie" carrols to heave, 

 As then in the countrie is counted goode cheere." 



Although their domestication has not en- 

 tirely destroyed their instinctive habits of 

 wildness, and they have not only constant 

 opportunities of straying from home, but have 

 in many instances been turned loose by gen- 

 tlemen having extensive forests upon their 

 estates, yet they are, in this country, never 

 found to propagate except in preserves; or 

 if they by any chance bring up a brood in 

 the woods, they return with their chicks to 

 the home from which they had been ejected. 



The turkey is so well known as to need 

 little description. The male is a majestic 



