SOME FORGOTTEN EDIBLE BIRDS 



air and make use of its wings. So good was the flesh 

 of the South African thick-knee that we preferred 

 this bird to all the bustards, save only the great paauw 

 and Stanley bustard, and to most of the francolins or 

 African partridges. Seventy years ago the market 

 price of the Norfolk plover was no more than three 

 shillings, so that it must have been then fairly plenti- 

 ful. These birds still visit us, chiefly preferring the 

 heaths and warrens of Norfolk and Suffolk, where they 

 occasionally breed. 



Green plover or lapwing, of course, we still eat, as 

 also the delicious golden plover. I am afraid those 

 uninitiated in the characteristics of these birds have, 

 pretty frequently, in London restaurants, the peewit 

 palmed off upon them instead of that much rarer deli- 

 cacy, the golden plover. There is one infallible test 

 by which the diner-out may settle the question of 

 species. The right golden plover {pluvier dore) of the 

 bills of fare has no hind toe, while the common green 

 plover possesses that appendage. A glance at the feet 

 of the bird placed before the diner will at once inform 

 him whether he is putting his fork into a choice tit-bit 

 or a very ordinary table bird. The grey plover, a 

 very beautiful British bird, is also extremely good 

 eating ; but is now so scarce as to be seldom secured 

 even by discriminating shore shooters. 



The dotterel, a now rare species of the plover kind, 

 is yet another bird to be classed among our lost 

 luxuries of the table. Formerly netted by our ancestors 

 in large numbers, it is now one of our scarcest spring 

 and summer migrants, and is seldom set eyes upon, 

 except by those who are close observers and watch 

 very carefully in May or early June for its rare appear- 

 ances. 



In 1 5 12 cranes were valued at sixteen pence apiece, 



27 



