Page:Art of Cookery 1774 edition.djvu/359

Rh February. Turkey and pullets with eggs, capons, fowls, small chickens, hares, all sorts of wild fowl (which in this month begin to decline) tame and wild pigeons, tame rabbits, green geese, young ducklings, and turkey poults.

March. This month the same as the preceding month; and in this moth wild fowl goes quite well.

April. Pullets, spring fowls, chickens, pigeons, young wild rabbits, leverets, young geese, ducklings, and turkey poults.

May. The same.

June. The same

July. The same; with young partridges, pheasants, and wild ducks, called slappers and moulters.

August. The same.

September, October, November and December. In these months all sorts of fowl, both wild and tame, are in season; and in the three last, is the full season for all manner of wild fowl.

IF he be young his spurs are short, and his legs smooth; if a true capon, a fat vein on the side of his breast, the comb pale, and a thick belly and rump: if new, he will have a close hard vent; if stale a loose open vent. IF the cock be young, his legs will be black and smooth, and his spurs short; if stale, his eyes will be sunk in his head, and the feet dry; if new, the eyes lively and feet limber. Observe the like by the hen, and moreover it she be with egg, she will have a soft open vent; if not, a hard close vent. Turkey poults are known the same way, and their age cannot deceive you. IF young, his spurs are short and dubbed, but take particular notice they are not pared nor scraped: if old, he will have an open vent; but if new, a close hard vent: and so of a hen, for newness or staleness; if old, her legs and comb are rough; if young, smooth. IF the bill be yellowish, and she has but few hairs, she is young; but it full of hairs, and the bill and foot red, she is old; if new, limber-footed: if stale, dry footed. And so of a wild goose, and bran goose.