134 ANIMAL FOOD RESOURCES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



CHAPTER V. 



Flesh Food Furnished by the Feathered Tribes. 



Buzzard, Kite, and Other Birds of Prey Eaten — Beccafico — 

 Guacharo — Larks — Thrushes — Blackbirds — Buntings — Fried 

 Canaries — Starlings — Books — Ortolans — Edible Birds' Nests 

 — Statistics of Supply — Parrots — Toucans — Domestic Poultry 

 — Fowls in Egypt and Morocco— Weight of Different Fowls 

 — Statistics of Poultry in the United Kingdom — in France — 

 in Austria — in the United States — Value of the Poultry 

 Imported from Abroad — Turkeys — Christmas Supplies — 

 Statistics of Turkeys in France — Wild Turkeys of America 

 ' — Peacocks — Formerly Served at Royal Banquets — Bustards 

 — Partridges — Game Birds Consumed in Great Britain — 

 Snipes — Woodcocks — Grouse — Pheasants — Capercailzie — 

 Game Birds of Sweden — Prairie Hens — Ruffs, Reeves, and 

 Godwits^ — Quails — Game Pies of France — ^Pates de Foies Gras 

 — Tragopins — Pigeons, Domestic and Wild— Ostrich Meat — 

 Flamingoes, Cranes, and Herons— Ducks and Geese — Statistics 

 of in France — ^Wild Geese — Swans — Plovers — Teal — Canvas- 

 back Duck— Pelicans — ^Penguins. 



The class of Birds, like that of Fishes, furnishes the 

 most abundant resources to various people who depend 

 a good deal for their daily food on the fisheries and the 

 chase, and there are very few, with the exception of 

 birds of prey, that are refused. The flesh of those birds 

 which feed on grain or other vegetable products, is less 

 strongly flavoured than that of carnivorous birds. One of 

 the chief characteristics of the flesh of fowls (observes 

 Prof. Church), notably those which are wild, is the almost- 

 entire absence of fat. When much fat is present the 

 flavour of the meat is often less delicate and its digesti- 

 bility, especially when roasted, decidedly difficult. As 

 game, numerous wild birds, especially the water fowls, 

 contribute largely to human food. 



Eaptores. — Among birds of prey there are not many that 

 furnish food for man, or that are relished when they have 



