own, and lay them in the dripping-pan under the birds to catch the
trail;[144-*] baste them with butter, and froth them with flour; lay
the toast on a hot dish, and the birds on the toast; pour some good beef
gravy into the dish, and send some up in a boat, see _Obs._ to No. 329:
twenty or thirty minutes will roast them. Garnish with slices of lemon.

_Obs._--Some epicures like this bird very much under-done, and direct
that a woodcock should be just introduced to the cook, for her to show
it the fire, and then send it up to table.

_Snipes_,--(No. 77.)

Differ little from woodcocks, unless in size; they are to be dressed in
the same way, but require about five minutes less time to roast them.

For sauce, see No. 338.

_Pigeons._--(No. 78.)

When the pigeons are ready for roasting, if you are desired to stuff
them, chop some green parsley very fine, the liver, and a bit of butter
together, with a little pepper and salt, or with the stuffing ordered
for a fillet of veal (No. 374 or No. 375), and fill the belly of each
bird with it. They will be done enough in about twenty or thirty
minutes; send up parsley and butter (No. 261,) in the dish under them,
and some in a boat, and garnish with crisp parsley (No. 318), or fried
bread crumbs (No. 320), or bread sauce (No. 321), or gravy (No. 329).

_Obs._--When pigeons are fresh they have their full relish; but it goes
entirely off with a very little keeping; nor is it in any way so well
preserved as by roasting them: when they are put into a pie they are
generally baked to rags, and taste more of pepper and salt than of any
thing else.

A little melted butter may be put into the dish with them, and the gravy
that runs from them will mix with it into fine sauce. Pigeons are in the
greatest perfection from midsummer to Michaelmas; there is then the most
plentiful and best food for them; and their finest growth is just when
they are full feathered. When they are in the pen-feathers, they are
flabby; when they are full grown, and have flown some time, they are
tough. Game and poultry are best when they have just done growing, _i.
e._ as soon as nature has perfected her work.

This was the secret of Solomon, the famous pigeon-feeder of Turnham
Green, who is celebrated by the poet Gay, when he says,

"That Turnham Green, which dainty pigeons fed,
But feeds no more, for _Solomon_ is dead."

_Larks and other small Birds._--(No. 80.)

These delicate little bi