They put a lantern at a little window in the room. The ortolans, thinking the sun has risen, hop around and eat. The lantern is withdrawn and they are left in darkness four or five hours. Now the lantern is again put in place. The ortolans, evidently an unsuspicious, guileless type of bird, thinking the sun has risen again to perform its duty by telling them it is time to eat, hop down from their perches and busy themselves very seriously and dutifully with their breakfast.
Apparently they do not keep track of time and do not suspect that only four hours of the 24 have elapsed. This same sun rises for them four or five times during the day and each time they obey its summons and gallantly eat. The result is that they are converted into little balls of delicious fat.
You can get a lesson from these birds.
DIET TO INCREASE WEIGHT
Thick soups. Thick gravies. Plenty of butter and sugar.
Fruits. The best fruit to fatten is bananas, eaten slowly with cream and sugar. Any kind of stewed fruits, cooked with sugar. Orange juice, with plenty of sugar. Grapefruit, with plenty of sugar. Any kinds of berries, with plenty of cream and sugar.
Cereals. Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Corn Flakes. Avoid bran foods.
Meats. Anything fried is good. Roast beef, roast veal, roast pork, roast ham, veal chops, pork chops. No lamb. Must have steaks rare. Ham and eggs.
Vegetables. White potatoes, creamed, hashed, any kind of fried potatoes, sweet potatoes fried, mashed potatoes with butter. Beets are fattening boiled—not pickled. Spaghetti, macaroni, boiled onions, spinach, creamed, creamed carrots, lima beans, peas.
Bread. White bread, fresh bread, hot tea biscuits, plenty of butter.