Under this head are. included all the edible wild animals and wild fowl. No market in the world is so ab^indantly supplied with this species of food as the American. The point of contrast between the flesh of wild animals and that of domesticated and ar- tifically fed ones is the greater hardness and solidity of the flesh, the greater proportion of solid fibre to the juices, the less proportion of water and fat in the juices, and the greater proportion of lean tofat^ Hence it follows that under the same circumstances (say when both the wild and the tame animals have been killed within a day) the mastication of the flesh of wild aniipals is less easy, the flavor is more concentrated, and the proportion of flesh-forming compounds is greater. They are therefore strong foods, and if well digested are highly nutritious. Their decided flavor is also a recommenda- tion to invalids or others who, being satiated with ordinary food, need something to stimulate a defective appetite. White meated game fihould be cooked to well-done ; dark meated game rare, and should always be sent to table 'oery hot^ with hot plates. Keeping game renders it more tender, and brings out its flavor, and the longer it can be kept without tainting the better it is. This is especially true of the pheasant and snipe. Any game may be kept several days in good condition by caring for it as follows: Pick, draw and rinse quickly with pure cold water ; wipe dry, and rub lightly inside with a mixture of fine salt and black pepper. If to be kept quite a while put in the cavity of each fowl a piece of charcoal, or rub in- side and out with powdered charcoal, hang in a cool dark place and cover with a cloth, always hanging by the neck. Small birds, unless too many of them, may be kept in refrigerator. Char- coal is an admirable preventive of decomposition. If hunters would draw game immediately after killing and stuff with hay, until it could be placed in the hands of the cook, it would be found to have a fresher, finer flavor and would keep much longer. Of game birds the woodcock outranks air in delicate tenderness and sweet flavor, but must not be kept too long. The thigh is especially deemed a choice tidbit. The leg is the finest part of the snipe, but generally thQ breast is the most juicy and nutritious part of birds. When birds have become tainted, pick clean as soon as possible and im- merse in new milk for twenty-four hours, when they will be quite sweet and fit for cooking. Prairie chickens will keep well two or three days. Bi^ ds should be carefully dry-picked if feathers are wished, and if the wings are wanted, cut them off at the first joint be- fore picking. Some then remove all feathers that come off easily, plunge for an instant in boiling hot water, and finish picking ; while others do not put in water at all. When picked, singe, draw, wipe clean and remove all shot Or, a quicker, easier and much nicer way is to skin without picking ; if the skin is not broken make a small incision in the back and it will easily pull off. It is better not to skin ducks and geese, which should be dry-picked, scalded, and rpUed in a woolen cloth ten or fifteen minutes ; then finish picking and scrape the skin if necessary. Singe, draw and dress. Singeing with alco- hol is much nicer and cleaner than with paper and does not darken the skin.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Under this head are. included all the edible wild animals and wild fowl. No market in the world is so abundantly supplied with this species of food as the American. The point of contrast between the flesh of wild animals and that of domesticated and artifically fed ones is the greater hardness and solidity of the flesh, the greater proportion of solid fibre to the juices, the less proportion of water and fat in the juices, and the greater proportion of lean to fat. Hence it follows that under the same circumstances (say when both the wild and the tame animals have been killed within a day) the mastication of the flesh of wild aniipals is less easy, the flavor is more concentrated, and the proportion of flesh-forming compounds is greater. They are therefore strong foods, and if well digested are highly nutritious. Their decided flavor is also a recommendation to invalids or others who, being satiated with ordinary food, need something to stimulate a defective appetite. White meated game should be cooked to well-done ; dark meated game rare, and should always be sent to table very hot, with hot plates. Keeping game renders it more tender, and brings out its flavor, and the longer it can be kept without tainting the better it is. This is especially true of the pheasant and snipe. Any game may be kept several days in good condition by caring for it as follows: Pick, draw and rinse quickly with pure cold water ; wipe dry, and rub lightly inside with a mixture of fine salt and black pepper. If to be kept quite a while put in the cavity of each fowl a piece of charcoal, or rub inside and out with powdered charcoal, hang in a cool dark place and cover with a cloth, always hanging by the neck. Small birds, unless too many of them, may be kept in refrigerator. Charcoal is an admirable preventive of decomposition. If hunters would draw game immediately after killing and stuff with hay, until it could be placed in the hands of the cook, it would be found to have a fresher, finer flavor and would keep much longer. Of game birds the woodcock outranks air in delicate tenderness and sweet flavor, but must not be kept too long. The thigh is especially deemed a choice tidbit. The leg is the finest part of the snipe, but generally the breast is the most juicy and nutritious part of birds. When birds have become tainted, pick clean as soon as possible and immerse in new milk for twenty-four hours, when they will be quite sweet and fit for cooking. Prairie chickens will keep well two or three days. Bi^ ds should be carefully dry-picked if feathers are wished, and if the wings are wanted, cut them off at the first joint before picking. Some then remove all feathers that come off easily, plunge for an instant in boiling hot water, and finish picking ; while others do not put in water at all. When picked, singe, draw, wipe clean and remove all shot Or, a quicker, easier and much nicer way is to skin without picking ; if the skin is not broken make a small incision in the back and it will easily pull off. It is better not to skin ducks and geese, which should be dry-picked, scalded, and rolled in a woolen cloth ten or fifteen minutes ; then finish picking and scrape the skin if necessary. Singe, draw and dress. Singeing with alcohol is much nicer and cleaner than with paper and does not darken the skin.

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