Partridges.— Partridges, like other game, should be hung as long as it is safe to keep them. They should be chosen young, as an old bird is comparatively worthless. They are in season from the 1st of September to the be- ginning of February. Partridges when young covey together, and thus the sportsman often shooLs several at once. \^Tien the winter comes on they retire to the upland meadows, and hide themselves among the grass. They are simple and timorous birds, and are easily taken. The eggs of partridges are frequently hatched under the domestic hen, and the young fed on ants, cggTB, curds, and gi'its, with a little green food ; when old enough they are fed with grain, lliey are easily tamed, though it is said they never wholly forget their wild origin. The female partridge is smaller than her mate, and less pleasing iii colour ; her back is darker, and her belly without the brown patch in its centre. The male is twelve inches long tad twenty broad, and the wing measures six and the tail three inches. The common partridge is almost exclusively a European bird. In Europe it is extensively distributed in all suitable localities, and inhabits all the level parts of England and Scotland. Partridges, Baked (a ritalienne).— Pluck and truss a brace of partridges as if for roasting, and put into each bird a forcemeat made as follows : — Grate half an ounce of stalo bread into very fine cruml)s. Season these with as much salt and white pepper as will stand on a threepenny-piece, and half a dozen grates of nutmeg ; work in with the fingers an ounce of butter, and add a tea-spoonful of finely- minced parsley and a tea-spoonful of lemon- juice. Dip two sheets of note-paper into some pure salad-oil; peel, mince finely, and mi.x thoroughly, three good-sized mushrooms, a moderate-sized carrot, a small onion, two table- spoonfuls of parsley-leaves, and haK a dozen leaves of thyme, with two or three trufiles, if these are obtainable. Divide the minced vegetables into two equal portions, and spread them upon the paper, lay the partridges upon them, and cover the breasts with fat bacon, tied securely round with twine, and fasten the paper. Lay the birds side bv side, breasts uppcmiost, in a acep pan, cover the partridges closely, bake in a good oven, and baste once or twice during the process. AVhen they arc done enough, take off the paper and the bacon, put the birds on a hot dish, and pour over them a sauce made as follows : — Put half a pint of good stock into a saucepan, with an onion, the trimmings of the mut^hrooms and truffles, a slice of cuirot, and a little salt and pepper, if required. Boil quickly for half an hour, then strain the sauce, thicken it with a dessert-spoonful of flour, add a dessert-spoon- ful of browning, two table-spoonfuls of claret, and the minced vegetables which covered the partridges; boil up once, and serve. Time, three-quarters of an. hour to bake the birds, if PAB PAR of moderate size. Probable cost, 5s. Sufficient for four or five persons.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Partridges.— Partridges, like other game, should be hung as long as it is safe to keep them. They should be chosen young, as an old bird is comparatively worthless. They are in season from the 1st of September to the beginning of February. Partridges when young covey together, and thus the sportsman often shoots several at once. \^Tien the winter comes on they retire to the upland meadows, and hide themselves among the grass. They are simple and timorous birds, and are easily taken. The eggs of partridges are frequently hatched under the domestic hen, and the young fed on ants, eggs, curds, and grits, with a little green food ; when old enough they are fed with grain, lliey are easily tamed, though it is said they never wholly forget their wild origin. The female partridge is smaller than her mate, and less pleasing iii colour ; her back is darker, and her belly without the brown patch in its centre. The male is twelve inches long and twenty broad, and the wing measures six and the tail three inches. The common partridge is almost exclusively a European bird. In Europe it is extensively distributed in all suitable localities, and inhabits all the level parts of England and Scotland. Partridges, Baked (a ritalienne).— Pluck and truss a brace of partridges as if for roasting, and put into each bird a forcemeat made as follows : — Grate half an ounce of stalo bread into very fine crumbs. Season these with as much salt and white pepper as will stand on a threepenny-piece, and half a dozen grates of nutmeg ; work in with the fingers an ounce of butter, and add a tea-spoonful of finelyminced parsley and a tea-spoonful of lemonjuice. Dip two sheets of note-paper into some pure salad-oil; peel, mince finely, and mi.x thoroughly, three good-sized mushrooms, a moderate-sized carrot, a small onion, two tablespoonfuls of parsley-leaves, and haK a dozen leaves of thyme, with two or three trufiles, if these are obtainable. Divide the minced vegetables into two equal portions, and spread them upon the paper, lay the partridges upon them, and cover the breasts with fat bacon, tied securely round with twine, and fasten the paper. Lay the birds side by side, breasts uppermost, in a deep pan, cover the partridges closely, bake in a good oven, and baste once or twice during the process. AVhen they arc done enough, take off the paper and the bacon, put the birds on a hot dish, and pour over them a sauce made as follows : — Put half a pint of good stock into a saucepan, with an onion, the trimmings of the mushrooms and truffles, a slice of carrot, and a little salt and pepper, if required. Boil quickly for half an hour, then strain the sauce, thicken it with a dessert-spoonful of flour, add a dessert-spoonful of browning, two table-spoonfuls of claret, and the minced vegetables which covered the partridges; boil up once, and serve. Time, three-quarters of an. hour to bake the birds, if PAB PAR of moderate size. Probable cost, 5s. Sufficient for four or five persons.

Cassell's dictionary of cookery