Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/45

Rh that it would spoil their flavor, and this one can readily understand, as the water must wash out the gravy. So long as none of the parts are broken there is no occasion to do more than wipe out the inside with a damp cloth. When wild fowl are badly shot, the pellets should, if possible, be picked out, for if the lead is left in many hours before the birds are cooked it is apt to poison the flesh. For many years I was not aware of this fact, and, like my neighbours, took no trouble about the shots, until one day my whole household were taken ill after partaking of stewed pigeons. A blackfellow had shot them, and had been most liberal with the shot flask, for the birds were full of pellets when brought in. I happened to mention this to the doctor when he came, and fortunately there was one bird still uncooked, which he examined, and proved to my entire satisfaction that the lead had produced some chemical change, which had made us all ill. Since then I have often thought that instead of pigeons being poisonous at certain seasons, the idea has come from some one being ill from eating birds badly shot.

The Ibis—This bird has a very objectionable odour, and consequently is little used, but the smell is confined solely to the feathers and skin. Skin the ibis, and, when cleaned, lay him in vinegar and water for a couple of hours, and all the offensive odour will disappear, when he is ready to be cooked in any way you choose. If baked, he requires to be well seasoned and constantly basted, as the flesh is rather dry and it is also very dark.

Ingredients: 10 or 12 medium sized tomatoes, 1 large onion, 1 bunch herbs, 1 teaspoonful sugar, pepper, salt, 1 teaspoonful flour.

Mode: Having cleaned and prepared the bird as directed, plunge into boiling water, and let it boil for 15 minutes or so. Then cut the flesh from the bones in nice pieces, and lay them in a stewpan with the tomatoes (sliced), also the onions (sliced), the herbs, pepper, salt, and sugar; pour in about two cups of water, and set over a gentle fire to stew, adding a little water as it boils away. Just before serving, thicken the gravy, if necessary, with the flour, and serve garnished with slices of lemon.

Time: Two and a half hours.

Small Sea Birds—There are a great many small birds on the sea coast which are never used as food simply because their delicacy and goodness are not known. There is a small bird, little bigger than a quail, and which flies in large numbers at certain times of the year. They are most delicious on toast or stewed with oysters. To pluck them, pour hot water over them in a deep pan. One pint boiling water to one pint and a half cold is the proportion that should bring the feathers off any bird without injuring the skin. Pour the water on, and leave them in it till cool, then strip as quickly as possible,. [sic] All small birds are best cooked whole—that is, without being cut up at all. They can be run on a long skewer, and roasted, and laid on toast, or they can be stewed with herbs and a rich stock or gravy.

Ingredients: Wild goose, stuffing of mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, and herbs, seasoning.

Mode: This is the better for hanging a day or two, unless it be in the middle of summer. Even then it can be hung for a time if it is carefully cleaned, salted, and peppered, and put