guests at a dinner-table; for game seems pre-eminently to be composed of
such delicate limbs and tender flesh that an inapt practitioner appears
to more disadvantage when mauling these pretty and favourite dishes,
than larger and more robust _pièces de résistance_. As described at
recipe No. 1019, this bird is variously served with or without the head
on; and although we do not personally object to the appearance of the
head as shown in the woodcut, yet it seems to be more in vogue to serve
it without. The carving is not difficult, but should be elegantly and
deftly done. Slices from the breast, cut in the direction of the dotted
line from 2 to 1, should be taken off, the merrythought displaced and
the leg and wing removed by running the knife along from 3 to 4, and
following the directions given under the head of boiled fowl, No. 1000,
reserving the thigh, which is considered a great delicacy, for the most
honoured guests, some of whom may also esteem the brains of this bird.
WILD DUCK.
[Illustration: WILD DUCK.]