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Woodcock, Devilled

Divide a brace of under-done woodcocks into neat joints, and season the pieces with a savoury powder made in the proportion of a tea-spoonful of salt to a tea-spoonful of curry-powder, a tea-spoonful of cayenne, and a dessert-spoonful of mushroom-powder. Split the heads, take out the brains and put them in a basin with the trail, the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, the grated rind of half a lemon, a pinch of pounded mace, and a table-spoonful of soy. Rub the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon till it is smooth, and add the juice of two Seville oranges, a table-spoonful of ketchup, and a glassful of Madeira or sherry. Put the sauce with the birds into a silver dish over a spirit lamp, stir occasionally, and simmer gently till it is very hot and the flesh has become thoroughly impregnated with the liquor. Stir in quickly a dessert-spoonful of salad oil, and serve immediately.