The image contains the following text:
How to choose Poultry.
footed; if stale, dry-footed. And so of a wild and bran
goose.
Wild and Tame Ducks. The duck, when fat, is hard
and thick on the belly; if not, thin and lean; if new,
limber-footed ; if stale, dry-footed. A true w ild duck has
a red foot, smaller then the tame one.
Pheasant Cock and, Hen. The cock, w'hen young, has
dubbed spurs ; when old sharp small spurs : if new, a fat
vent; if stale, an open flabby one. The hen, if young, has
smooth legs, and her flesh of a curious grain ; if with egg,
she will have a soft open vent; if not, d close one. For
newness or staleness, as the cock.
Partridge Cock and Hen. The bill white, and the legs
blue, shew age; for if young, the bill is black, and the
legs yellow; if new, a fast vent; if stale, a green and
open one. If full crops, and they have fed on green
wheat, they may taint there ; for this smell the mouth.
Woodcock and Snipe. The woodcock, if fat, is thick
and hard, if new, limber-footed ;when stale, dry-footed;
or if their noses are snotty, and their throats muddy
and moorish, they are not good. A snipe if fat, has a
fat vein on the side under the wing, and in the vent
feels thick. For the rest like the woocock.
Doves and Pigeons. To know' the turtle-dove, look foi
a blue ring round his neck, and the rest mostly white.
The stock-dove is bigger ; and the ring-dove is less than
the stock-dove. The dove-house pigeons, when old, are
red-legged ; if new and fat, they w ill feel full and fat in
the vent, and are limber-footed; but if stale, a flabby
and green vent.
So the green or grey plover, fieldfare, blackbird, thrush,
larks, &c.
Of Hare, Leveret, or Rabbits. Hare w ill be white and
stiff, if new and clean killed : if stale, the flesh black in
most parts, and the body limber: if the cleft in her lips
spread much, and her claws wide and ragged, she is old ;
the contrary, young : if young, the ears will tear like
brown paper; it old, dry and tough, lo know a true
leveret, feel on the fore-leg, near the foot, and if there is
