COOKING OTHER KINDS OF GAME. 447 



two latter Birds, is a sure indication that they have been taken 

 from the fire too soon, and that the meat will consequently taste 

 tough and raw. 



TO COOK RAIL AND REED BIRDS. 



Both these Birds are best plainly roasted and basted with a 

 trifle of butter, and served up on toast. Some of our friends 

 speak in raptures of broiled Rail. We can't say that we admire 

 them particularly, when cooked in thie way. Rail are a very 

 juicy, tender Bird, and require no larding; when roasted on the 

 spit, enveloped in greased paper, they are very good. They 

 should never be stuffed ; they require about fifteen minutes to 

 cook before a brisk fire ; they are better eaten fresh, and never 

 improve by keeping; in fact, they are generally shot during the 

 warm weather, and when nothing short of an ice-house will 

 preserve them over a few hours. They spoil very soon, par- 

 ticularly after being wet and pitched about in the bottom of 

 a boat. 



Reed Birds are best when roasted au naiurel on the spit 

 before a brisk fire. If enveloped in buttered paper, they cook 

 more nicely, and there is less waste of the fat. Ten minutes is 

 sufficient before a bright fire. 



We have eaten Reed Birds stuffed with crumbs of bread, 

 butter, and a slight shade of herbs, and roasted in greased 

 paper, which are very palatable for a change. They are also 

 good when nicely broiled ; some persons prefer them this way 

 to all others. 



As to stuffing them with chopped oysters, or making them 

 into dumplings with a thin crust of dough, and boiling them, 

 we have nothing to say ; and when any of our friends venture 

 a word of commendation in favor of such abominable dishes — 

 audio sed taceo. 



COOKING OTHER KINDS OF GAME. 



There are a great- variety of other kinds of Game Birds, 

 known as Fen., Shore., or Beach Birds., which require very nice 

 management to make them agreeable to an Epicurean palate. 



