Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-03-01
Josh Billings on Birds.
THE QUAIL.


The quail IL a game bird, about one
size bigger than the robbln, and so sud-
den that they hum when they fly. They
have no song. but whistle tor music; the
tune IL solitary and sad. They are shot
on the wing, and man may be good in
arithmetic. iustrate at parsing, and even
be able to preach acceptabley, but II he
amt studied quail on the wing he might
as well shoot at streak OF lightning in
the sky as at quail on the go.
Briled quail. properly supported with
ielleys and Champagne Charlie, IL Just
the most difficult thing, in my humble
opinion, to beat in the whole history
ov vittles and something to drink.
am no gourmand. for kan eat bread
and milk five DAYS out OF seven, and
smak my lips after get thru, but if
am asked to eat briled quail by friend.
with judishous accompanyments, blush
at fust, then bow my head, and then
smile sweet acquiescence in other
words, always quail before such re-
quest.
THE PARTRIDGE.
The partridge iz also game bird.
Their game IL to drum on a log in the
spring ov the year and keep both eyes
open, watching the spOrLsmen. Part
ridges are shot on the wing, and are as
easy to miss az ghost il. 1t is phun
enuff tew see the old bird hide her young
brood when danger IL near. This mast
be seen; it can't be described, and make
emmy body believe it.
The partridge, grouse and pheasant
are cousins, and either of them straddle
r--iAaro,, ratupal nnnH 20 haua haan
born there. Take a couple OF young
partridges and pot them down, and
serve up with kink of chorus. and
they beat the ham sandwiches You buy
on the Camden * Amboy Road 81 IL per
cent. have eat these lamentable New
Jersey ham sandwiches, and must say
that prefer couple OF Eastwood chips.
soaked in mustard water. and stuk to-
gether with Spaulding's glue.
THE woODKoK.
The fust thing yer generally see Nv a
woodkok is whiZz, and the last thing
whiT. How so many ov them are
shot on the wing IL 4 mistery to me, or
it iz quicker job than snatching pennys
oph a red hot stove have shot at them
often, but never remember ov my killing
one ov them yit.
They are one ov the game birds. and
menny good Judges think they are the
most elegant vittles that ware fethers.
THE GosLIN.
The goslin is the old goose's yung
child. They are yeller all over. and az
soft az n ball of worsted. Their foot iz
wove hole, and they kan swim az easy
az n drop Of kaster-oil on the water.
They are born annuity about the 18th of
May, and never waZ known to die na-
trally. Ii a man should tell me he saw
a goose die natral deth, | wouldn't
believe him under oath alter that. not
even il he swore he had lied about seeing
goose die.
The goose are different in one respect
from the human family. who are sed
tew grew weaker and wizer, whereas a
goslin alwus grows tu1er and more
phoolish.
have seen goose that they sed was
g9 years old last June, and didn't look
an hour older than one that was only IL.
The goslin waddles when he walks and
paddles when he swims, but never dives
like duck out of sight in the water, but
only changes ends.
The food oy the goslin IL rye, corn
oats and barley, sweet apples, hasty pud.
ding, succotash and billed cabbage, cook
ed potatoze, raw meat, wine. Jelly and
turnips, stale bred, kold hash. and buck.
wheat cakes that are LETT over.