PIGEON-HOUSES AND FISH-STEWS. 277 



Christmas, and but little fresh meat, except 

 veal, appeared in the markets before the ensuing 

 Midsummer. The more substantial yeomen 

 and manufacturers provided against this incon- 

 venience by curing a quantity of beef at 

 Martinmas, the greater part of which they 

 pickled in brine, the rest being dried or smoked 

 by being hung in the chimney. Hogs were 

 slaughtered after Christmas, the flesh being 

 principally converted into bacon; and this, 

 with dried beef and mutton, afforded a change 

 to salt meat in spring. The fresh provisions 

 of winter consisted of eggs, poultry, geese, and 

 ill-fed veal, calves being conveyed to market 

 when only a fortnight old. 



These things constituted the food of the 

 upper middle-class of the country districts, and 

 it was only those still higher that could draw 

 upon the resources of the " Culver-house " and 

 Fish-stew. To them fresh fish and plump 

 pigeons were always at hand to furnish a 

 pleasant change from the hard salted meat. 

 At this time the old British pastime of falconry 

 had not yet gone out, and Duck, Heron, and 

 Moor-fowl were often found at table. In the 

 wilder parts of the North, "Red Deer, Fallow, 



