Pigeons are better cooked in a moist heat. Singe, truss them in good shape, and put them in a baking-pan. Put them in a hot oven and keep them there until they are nicely browned. While they are browning rub together two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour; add a pint of stock; stir until boiling; add a teaspoonful of browning or kitchen bouquet, chopped onion, a bay leaf, a teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. Arrange the pigeons in a pot, casserole-dish or saucepan, pour over the sauce, cover, and put in the oven to cook slowly for one hour and a half.

Pass with these boiled rice, peas or asparagus tips and a sour jelly.

Small Birds

Blackbirds, reedbirds and other small birds may be roasted whole, or put them in scooped-out potatoes, fasten with a skewer, and bake for half an hour. Serve them in the potatoes with brown sauce poured over.

Grouse are very good wrapped in a piece of bacon, then dusted with salt and pepper, rolled in oiled paper, and baked for half an hour in a quick oven, basting once or twice with hot stock. While they are baking mix two tablespoonfuls of Worcestershire sauce with the juice of two lemons. Baste the birds well with this, and dish on buttered toast.