FLESH FOOD FURNISHED BY THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 163 



their moving. They are fed with nourishing paste, and 

 their drink is sulphurised water. 



To Toulouse belongs the truffled ^ffl^^s defoies de canard, 

 built up in the form of huge towers, which fetch £50 to 

 £60, and are in demand for great occasions ; but those for 

 ordinary consumption are prepared in earthenware potS. 

 These paUs are more unctuous than those of Strasbourg, 

 but they are improved by adding a glass of sherry. 



Perigord makes pates of truffled partridges in terrines, 

 which, being well-seasoned, will keep for many months, 

 and they have acquired a universal reputation. Courtoy, 

 who gave his name to this delicacy, made a splendid 

 fortune out of it. 



The Tragopans (Ceriomis satyra and C. temmincki) are 

 game birds of Asia, species of pheasants which are 

 sought for by sportsmen. They make a near approach 

 to the ordinary turkey and fowl. 



Pigeons. — Of the domestic pigeons much need not be 

 said, except that they are largely bred for food purposes ; 

 but of some of the wild ones a brief mention may be 

 made. 



The passenger pigeon of America {Columha [Hctopistes] 

 migratoria) is a very large and well-flavoured bird, which 

 migrates in certain seasons in dense flocks. Wilson and 

 Audubon describe having seen flocks which they com- 

 puted to number respectively from thousands of millions 

 up to upwards of a billion each. In one day seven tons 

 of these pigeons have been brought into the New York 

 Market by the Erie railroad. The Indians often watch 

 the roosting places of these birds and knocking them on 

 the head in the night, bring away thousands. They 

 preserve the oil *or fat for use instead of butter. 



In their breeding places, herds of hogs are fed on the 

 young pigeons or " squabs," which are also melted down 

 by the settlers, as a substitute for butter or lard. The 

 felling of a single tree often produces two hundred squabs, 

 nearly as large as the old ones, and almost one mass of 

 fat. They are very tender and delicate, and much more 

 esteemed as food than the adult bird. Pennant, in his 



M 2 



