The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-04
THE pApAHOT.
Its yinaicatien, Etymoiggy ana Ciassil~
cation According to Rule.

The time approaches when This delicious bird
will become lawful prey for eportsmsn and gour-
NETS. We assume that our game Law was passed
in the interest Of both Of these classes and that
it's intent and spirit require that The sportsman
and the epieufe should conjtuant onsice move
harmoniously together in promoting each others
Enjoyment, that the seasons should be sharply
defined, not only 60 ~ to prevent the ference
with the multiplication of the animals and birds
which ars lawful game, but also TO limit the kill
ing OF them when not in their best condition for
the table.
The papabot is an example Of the need Of such
u provision or Interpretation Of the game law.
Until the summer has fairly opened indeed not
until the summor solsties is established, should
this bird be- killed. In the interest Of both
sportsmep aud gourmet distinct section Of the
law should have fixed the date OF the summer
solas ice. tths 22d Of June) as that when the
pspsbot may be lawfully slaughtered In the in
terest OF humanity and 10 promote the public
welfare. Previous 10 that date aud all through
the spring he is an ordinary yellow legged
ployer. Audubon very Jusly and con-
tempuously styles him sandpipsr- adding
some fsneiful adjective, like B,otrlan to modify
the insult conveyed in such dspreeating
cognomen And yet, in the 1uRlity of the
flesh, when shot OF this period out Of his proper
season, this bird ia hardly superior TO The sand.
piper, or small snipe or sven the kilidee. But
when the sun has I. aehsd ts greatest southern
deolinatiop and sends It's direct rays upon the
earth with its full power, producing wonderful
development Of insect life and vgor, then your
ysllow-legged plovsr developes into that uns-
quallsd OF all game birds, the legitimate papabot,
the fattest, juioiest and most hsvorous OF all car
nal moreesux. The papabot is no more like his
original self than tho butter fly is like the grub
Wilt 4
30 essential to human enjoyment as the pa Dabot
is, should we allow people TO capture and destroy
the grubs or feed ducks with them, as friend OF
mine is in the habit OF dsposiBg OF The drone
grubs he takes from his bee bivee2 And
yet, for some time past, the only game
we have seen exposed for sale on the
streets has been this owsIegged plover.
frsuduently passed off on "green ones under
the attractive title Of pspabot. Thus the elories
OF the pspabot are thamsfully clouded, and
large portion OF the human family are swindled
into profouud and inourable seeptioism Of the
great virtues and charms OF this exquisite bird.
They are thus led into suicidal dist ust and dis.
psragement Of the taste and judgment Of veteran
epeures. They discount all their other assur-
anoss and begin to doubt whether our pompano
is ~ good fl n lake trout or fresh. water bass
and whether orawfish bsqne Ia any better than
cabbage Sup, or boutgabaisse preferable 10 q
August is the same bird which they have bought
and eat in March and April, Apicus or Lucullns
could not convince them doubtless that hs is
more OF delicaoy than red-hsaded wood
peoker or a sand crane. Hence there ehould be
prohibition Of the killing and sale OF the poyer
grub. and penalty affixed to the fraudulent
vendor Of that unworthy pretender bv the ex-
alsed tile OF papabot. This tite is ouiy due
to The bird which 10 held at the highest rates Of
any other game in this city in the months Of
July, August and september, and which is al
ways first suggested to you when you enter q
restaurant as the greatest of it's attractions,
and delicacies. Before ordering him It is 8 wise
precausion to ask sight and inspection You
will be shown mass OF fat, completely con-
cealing tho form, features and limbs OF what you
are tod Is 10 bird, Of the size OF pigeon
or teal duck. Yon take II in yonr hand and fod
IL as heavy as lead. You marvel how such bird
could fly or run, and tho waiter increases your
wonder by telling You that when shot they burst
on falling TO the ground, from their heaviness.
The waiter will also inform you that the papabot
is as kindly disposed TO the restaurant keeper as
to the guests who arc TO enjoy him, furnishing
the material for his own cooking, dispensing with
butter and lard and all prepared gravies. He is
cooked in his own juice. But do not be alarmed
or suspicious as to the effect quality Of this
adipose supsr1uty. II has nothing Of greasiness
or repulsve richness about II, but is deliciously
favored and communicates Juicy richness and |
raciness to the flesh, which, like the pompaDo, |
renders every part OF the bird most grateful and
TO the gustatory organs.
There various surmises and theories as to |
the causes OF this remarkable change in the con-
diton Of this bird, and the source of It's great |
richness and value as o moroccan. The prevalent
opinion is that tho papab Il feeds upon the green
bodied fes, vulgarly called Spanish fss, which |
he finds in meadows aud old fields la the months |
of July and August. and that these insects com |
mnnicate the remarkable richness. favor and |
fatness to which he owes his renown, and TO |
which, it Is imagined, may be ascribed certain in
aud n urishing effects much affected
by elderly gourmets. We have no confidence In /
this theory further than to accept as probable |
and rational the presumption that insect food |
contributes mainly to the fatness Of the papabot |
But We do not think that the green bellied Span
ish fly can justly claim q monopoly of this
honor. The papabot Is not SO dainty and |
exclusive in his tastes IS here as-
sumed. mo pent-up Utica" insectdom con-
conditioned aud appetzng bugs, worms and in
sects fall within the large circle OF his favorite
consideration and hospitable entertainment, az
entitled to equal rights under the fourteenth
amendment, without regard to age, color or pre-
vious condition. All are admitted free into his
spacious craw and permitted to share with him
the honor and pride OF contributing 80 greatly to
the happiness OF the human family. In proof OF
our dissent from this green-bellied fly theory, we
can state authentic fact that friend Of ours
VINO happened to be at Fort Worth three weeks
ago, went cunning in his buggy, not two miles
from the Fort, and in one day killed seventy pap
abots, 30 fat that many Of them burst as they
fell. On Investigating the causes OF their
were alive with small species Of grass
hoppers upon which the papabots fed. To sup
port his story, which really, though related by
most truthful gentlemen and an exConfedsrats
general, seemed to require confirmation, he ex-
hbited jar in which, by the use OF Davenport's
Dreservative balm, he had preserved several of
,hese papabots as fresh as when they were killed.
We found them fully up to the New Orleans
standard Of papabo.s in Atness and jucness
This fact, then, vindicates the claims OF the
to more charitable consideration
han has been hitherto extended to him, and will
doubtless impart still more pronounced green
1ess that Of jealousy to the hue Of the spanish
ly. 1t will, too, establ our theory Of the
omniverousness Of the papabot.
And now in this discursiye manner I have lost
light OF what should have been my first duty in
his article, and that was to expound the origin,
derivation and exact meaning Of this word papa.
ut. Why should well known and ordinary
'lover be called in Louisiana papabot? 1t does
lot bear that name even in Texas, which, in it's
ystem Of laws, in its nomenclature and iu many
Il its customs, retains few Of the traces Of its