158 ANIMAL FOOD EESOTJECES OF DIFFEKENT NATIONS. 



its good culinary qualities, and its property of keeping • 

 good long. The flesh is delicious and of easy digestion, 

 and is good at all times. 



The partridge (Perdrix cinerea) is common in Britain, 

 but is also widely distributed, and there are many other 

 species. The red-legged partridge (P. rubra), is delicate 

 but not equal to the English bird ; we get it from the 

 eastern countries as from Russia and other parts of the 

 Continent. The Greek partridge (Caccabis saxatilis, 

 Meyer) is another European species largely sought for 

 in the south. 



Partridges and pheasants for the London market 

 chiefly come from Norfolk and Sufiblk ; ptarmigan from 

 the north of Scotland and Norway. About 150,000 to 

 200,000 partridges are sold in London annually. 



The price of pheasants in England is very much 

 aflfected by the great demand there is for them in 

 France, where a great many are sold for their plumage, 

 while they make the bodies into pies. From the Aus- 

 trian forests about 70,000 pheasants and 700,000 par- 

 tridges are annually obtained. 



In severe winters 9,000 or 10,000 of ptarmigans have 

 been received in a day from Norway. Holland contri- 

 butes the great stock of wild duck for London tables. 

 The duck decoys are objects of great care there. The 

 largest supply of plovers and woodcocks is also from 

 Holland. 



The capercailzie {Tetrao urogallus, Linn.) may be called 

 the king of the grouse or Tetrao tribe. He often weighs 

 8 lbs. and 10 lbs. The hen bird is much smaller, 

 weighing only 4 or 5 lbs. This bird is delicious eating, 

 feeding as it does on the cranberry, whortleberry, and 

 bay leaf. Nor do the pine shoots or juniper give 

 an unpleasant flavour. The same may be said of the 

 black-game of Norway. Most epicures would, we should 

 imagine, prefer the capercailzie, with its rare flavour, to 

 the turkey. The black-game weighs 7 lbs. and 8 lbs, a 

 brace. The capercailzie has been known to reach 14 lbs. 

 in weight, and to attain the length of 2 ft. 9 in., whilst 



