FLESH FOOD FURNISHED BY THE FEATHEBED TKIBES. 137 



young cuckoo is a most delicious morsel, but it has sel- 

 dom or ever been eaten in this country. 



The great spotted cuckoo {Coccytes glandarius) passes. 

 Greece in flocks from the north in August. This bird 

 ■with the guepier (Merops apiaster, L.), and the hoopoe 

 (JJpupa epops, L.), are all sought for in Greece for food. 



In winter they catch by thousands in Sweden, by means- 

 of hair springs or snares, a number of small birds which 

 pass under the general name of grives, such as various 

 species of thrush, the waxwing of Bohemia (Ampelis 

 garruUs), the common bullfinch (Pyrrhula europea), etc. 



There are annually sent to the Continent from Corsica 

 between 350,000 and 400,000 blackbirds (Turdus meruld). 

 They come in vast numbers each winter to feed on the 

 berries of the myrtle and arbutus, with which the moun- 

 tains are covered. In the month of December they be- 

 come very fat, and the flavour and perfume given by 

 this food cause them to be much esteemed by the gourmets 

 of Paris. A pate de foie de merle is considered a great ■ 

 delicacy. 



The common bunting (Umberiza miliaria) is often taken 

 in nets and brought to market, where they are sold for 

 larks. The snow bunting (Plectrojphanis \Emberiza'\ 

 nivalis) when fat is excellent eating. 



When the ice on the Ifeva leaves St. Petersburg, innu- 

 merable flocks of snow buntings arrive. They almost 

 line the banks of the river, and are killed in great quan- 

 tities, being fat, but they do not merit the name of orto- 

 lans, given to them when served at table. 



A favourite dish at some of the cafes of St. Michael's, 

 Madeira, is "fried canaries" {Fringilla canana, Lin.). They 

 don't pay 10s. or £1 a piece for canaries there, only a 

 dollar the hundred- in the season. Was it not Vitellius 

 who betrayed a weakness for a stew of nightingales' 

 tongues ? They are as materialistic in Madeira. It is 

 some satisfaction to know that cooked canary is no better 

 than sparrow pie^ 



Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris, Lin.) are frequently shot or 

 trapped in the winter and eaten. 



