FLESH FOOD FURNISHED BY THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 167 



feathers and cleaned, it weighed 73 lbs., and the in- 

 terior parts 18 lbs. 



The first surprise in cutting up the bird was that in 

 place of what is known in the fowl as the most fleshy 

 parts, the breasts and the wings, there was nothing but 

 a bony skeleton with scarcely any flesh, more resem- 

 bling the ribs of a lean sheep. But in place of flesh 

 there were found two large masses of fat weighing not 

 less than 12 lbs. The thighs, however, presented an 

 enormous development, and could only be compared, 

 when separated from the articulated joint, to a fat leg of 

 Down mutton, the weight of each being not less than 

 12 lbs. The giblets, which could not be kept for the 

 feast, were made into soup, and the liver, weighing over 

 2 lbs., cooked in a stewpan like that of a deer. The 

 appreciation of the giblets, the wing pinions, the neck, 

 etc., was general, and elicited the exclamation "It is 

 remarkably good," whilst the liver resembled that of 

 venison, of which it had the flavour and firmness, 

 without being hard. 



For the grand dinner, to which the chief magistrate of 

 the town and other notabilities were invited, the menu 

 was as follows : — 



1. Tendons, fa9on filet de bceuf k la financi^re. 



2. Cuissot en daube. 



3. Pat6 en timbale. 



The following were the opinions pronounced on these : — 

 (1.) Financikre. If the meat had been Well-kept, not 

 one of the guests who partook of the dish would have 

 doubted that it was beef served, the tenderness, suc- 

 culence and flavour of the meat were generally acknow- 

 ledged, and it was unanimously declared to be first rate. 

 (2.) La Daube. The vocabulary of praise for this dish 

 was prodigious. On every side resounded, " perfect and 

 excellent, rich, exquisite." The chief magistrate declared 

 it recalled the flavour without disadvantage of "lange de 

 bceuf h I'ecarlate." 



(3.) Then followed the timbale, which on being opened 

 met with equal favour. A pate of Chartres or of Pithi- 



