ORDER PASSERES. 25 



the heart of beef or mutton in the same way, with some fari- 

 naceous appendage. These mixtures agree very well with the 

 bird, but must be made fresh every day, as otherwise the meat 

 speedily corrupts, disgusts the bird, and makes it lean and 

 silent. Pastes, however, can be composed for it, that will 

 keep for years, and preserve the bird in excellent health. 



The first is made with two pounds of rolled beef, a pound 

 of grey peas, a pound of sweet almonds, an ounce and a 

 half of saffron, in powder, and twelve fresh eggs. The 

 peas must be pounded and sifted ; the almonds peeled 

 in hot water, and pounded as fine as possible ; the beef 

 should be hashed exceedingly fine, and cleansed carefully 

 from skin, fat, and fibres; the saffron infused in half a 

 goblet of boiling water ; all being thus disposed, the eggs 

 are taken and broken in a plate, and then all these ingre- 

 dients are successively mixed, finishing with the saffron. 

 Round cakes are then formed of it, about the thickness of one's 

 finger, which are dried in the oven, after the bread is with- 

 drawn, or in a large baking pan, rubbed with fresh butter, 

 and placed at a very gentle fire ; these cakes are sufficiently 

 dressed, when they have acquired the consistence of new- 

 made biscuits. They are broken and crumbled in the hand 

 for the use of the bird. 



The second paste is made like the first, but with half-a- 

 pound of poppy seeds in addition, as much of roasted millet, 

 two ounces of flour, a pound of white honey, and two or three 

 ounces of fresh butter. The peas and the millet are pul- 

 verized and sifted ; the poppy seeds well pounded, as also 

 the sweet almonds ; these each, indeed, should be reduced 

 into a perfect paste, as otherwise the bird cannot digest 

 them. There should be no lumps left ; the meat should be 

 prepared as for the first paste, then the eggs should be broken, 

 the yolks of which, alone, should be put into an earthen 

 plate, adding the honey and saffron ; when these ingredients 

 are well mixed, the meat, sweet almonds, and flour are 



