Of Quails

The antients had a very bad opinion of quails, and represented them as dangerous aliment; but experience has shown the contrary, for they are very good eating, only a little hard of digestion : the flesh is very nourishing, breeds good juices, and disagrees with no constitutions. It is a bird of the partridge kind, but less, being no more than seven inches and a half to the end of the tail.

Of Thrushes

A thrush is a bird a little bigger than a lark, and the flesh is well tasted and nourishing, 'because it abounds with unctuous and balsamic parts. It strengthens the stomach, yields good aliment, and is good for persons who are recovering from a disease. Some think thrushes are good for the falling sickness, because they feed on the berries of the misletoe which is accounted a specific in that disease. They are best and most in season in cold weather.

Of Black-Birds Or Ouzels

Black birds have many things in common with thrushes; they delight in thick woods, and are more famous for singing than for food; not but they are nourishing, easy of digestion, and breed good juices. Some think them useful eating in dysenteries, and the bloody flux. It needs not be mentioned that those which are young and fat are most fit for use. But in taking these sort of birds, there is seldom any choice to be made; however, the winter in the best season for killing them.

Of Larks

Larks are very delicate birds, and in high esteem for their fine taste, and the good effects they pro-duce. They abound with balsamic and volatile particles, which renders them restorative, easy of digestion, and proper to generate good juices. As they grow old, they gradually loose these volatile and balsamic parts, becoming dry and hard of dige stion. They are most in season in the autumn; for they are then fat,and best flavoured. There are great plenty of these birds taken on Dunstable-downs.

Of Ortolans

Ortolans are little birds of the size of a chaffinch, and are to be met with in large quantities in some parts of France. They take them first in the be-gining of April, and continue all the month. The second time is the middle of August, which lasts about four weeks. They are seldom fat enough without feeding, which they do in cages covered over with a cloth, otherwise they would be in constant agitation. The flesh of an ortolan is tender, delicate, juicy, of an exquisite taste, and seems to be little else but a lump of fat: they abound with balsamic, unctuous, and volatiles particles which renders them very wholesome : they are agreeable to all constitutions, and there is no exception against them, but their high price. There are several other small birds, such as sparrows, linnets, goldfinches, etc. which need not be mentioned in particular.

Of Wood Cocks And Snipes

Wood-cocks and snipes are much of the same nature, and differ chiefly in their size: they are temperate, light of digestion, very nourishing, and are best in the winter time. The agreeable relish. of these birds is a sufficient warrant for their qualities. Some fay they are hard of digestion and heat the body, but I may venture to affirm they never sound it by experience. There are several other sorts of birds that might have been mentioned, such as water-hens, lapwings, plovers, rails, etc. but as they are seldom to be met with, or are seldom eaten, I shall pass them over in silence.

Of Eggs

Eggs are of different sorts; those of hens and turkies are the best, those of geese and ducks are not so good. Hens eggs are most in use, which should be new laid, and then they yield good nourishment, increase the seminal fluid, abate the sharpness of humours in the breast, are good in consumptions, enormous bleedings, and render the voice clear. When eggs are old, they heat the body, and are bad for bilious constitutions. They should be moderately boiled and neither too much nor too little done, by which means they will be most easy of digestion, and be more readily distri-buted throughout the body. In general they may be eaten at any time, and are suitable to all ages and constitutions.