Roast Woodcocks or Snipes

Ingredients

• woodcocks or snipes
• butter
• 1 slice per bird bread

Instructions

1. Handle the birds as lightly as possible and pluck the feathers gently to avoid breaking the skin.
2. Do not draw (eviscerate) the birds; wipe them instead with clean soft cloths.
3. Truss each bird with the head tucked under the wing and the bill laid close along the breast.
4. Pass a slight skewer through the thighs and catch the ends with twine, tying it across to keep the legs straight.
5. Suspend the birds feet downwards on a bird-spit and flour them well.
6. Begin basting the birds with butter dissolved in the pan or ladle.
7. Before the trail (innards) begins to drop, lay a thick round of toasted, buttered bread into the pan under each bird to catch the trail.
8. Continue basting, letting the butter fall from the birds into the basting-spoon or ladle so it can be reused rather than collecting in the dripping-pan.
9. When the birds are done at a brisk fire—twenty to twenty-five minutes for woodcock, five minutes less for snipe—lay the toasts into a very hot dish.
10. Dress the birds upon the toasts, pour a little gravy round the bread, and send more gravy to table in a tureen.