Put into every bird, an oyster, or a little butter mixed with some
finely sifted bread-crumbs. Dredge them with flour. Run a small skewer
through them, and tie them on the spit. Baste them with lard or with
fresh butter. They will be done in about ten minutes.
A very nice way of cooking these birds is, (having greased them all
over with lard or with fresh butter, and wrapped them in vine leaves
secured closely with a string,) to lay them in a heated iron pan, and
bury them in ashes hot enough to roast or bake them. Remove the vine
leaves before you send the birds to table.
Reed birds are very fine made into little dumplings with a thin crust
of flour and butter, and boiled about twenty minutes. Each must be tied
in a separate cloth. Or you may cook a dozen in one paste, like an
apple pudding.