FLESfi FOOD FURNISHED BY THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 179 



dfelicate and good for the table. It bears the name of 

 " king of the quails " in many countries. 



The black-tailed godwit (Limosa mgooephald) is some- 

 times caught and fattened, with the reeves, for the table, 

 but though considerably larger it is not held in such high 

 estimation. 



Another family of wading birds is the Plovers, whose 

 flesh is very good, and their brown speckled eggs are 

 regarded as a great delicacy. The golden plover 

 {Charadius pluvialis, Lin.) especially is an excellent bird 

 for the table. 



In the United States the following are the edible birds 

 passing under the name of plover : — The black billed 

 (Squatarola helvetica); the golden (Charadius pluvialis, 

 var. Virginicus) ; the killdeer {^gealitis vociferus, Lin.); 

 "Wilson's (^. Wilsonim) ; the ring-neck {^. semipalmatus) ; 

 the piping {^. melodus) ; the ruddy (Calidris arenaria) ; 

 and the upland plover {Actiturus hartramius). 



The bustards form a kind of link between the Gallinacfe 

 and the Plovers. The great bustard {Otis tarda, Lin.) is 

 still plentiful in many parts of Europe. The large African 

 kori bustard {Eupodotis cristata, Scop.) often weighs from 

 30 lbs. to 35 lbs., and is excellent eating. The flesh of 

 the trumpeter of South America (Psophia crepitans, Lin.) 

 is eatable. 



The common teal and the Garganey teal (Querquedula 

 crecca, and Querquedula circia, Lin.), are better than any 

 other of the wild duck family, and are good game birds, 

 but lean. 



The flesh of the American species is excellent, viz., the 

 green- winged (Q. caroUnensis), the blue- winged (Q. discors), 

 and the red-breasted (Q. cyanoptera). 



The pin-tail {Bafila acuta) is abundant and its flesh 

 better than that of the wild duck. Considerable num- 

 bers of these as well as of teal are imported from Holland. 



The clucking hen (a species of Ardea), is considered 'in 



Jamaica the best description of wildfowl. Some of the 



coots are occasionally served up, but they taste a little 



fishy. The flesh of the sand grouse {Pterocks arenarius) 



./ N 2 



