THE FASTING PERIOD 



and two of the cocks are seen to be squaring up for 

 battle. Close behind and to the right of them are 

 seen (from left to right) the hen and the third cock, 

 who are watching to see the result of the contest, 

 and another hen cowering for protection against a 

 cock with whom she has become established. 



Fig. 24 shows the two combatants hard at it, 

 using their weight as they lean their breasts against 

 one another, and rain in the blows with their power- 

 ful flippers. 



Fig. 25 shows the end of the fight, the victor 

 having rushed the vanquished cock before him out 

 of the crowd and on to a patch of snow on which, 

 as he was too brave to turn and run, he knocked 

 him down and gave him a terrible hammering. 



When his conqueror left him at length, he lay for 

 some two minutes or so on the ground, his heaving 

 breast alone showing that he was alive, so com- 

 pletely exhausted was he, but recovering himself at 

 length he arose and crawled away, a damaged flipper 

 hanging limply by his side, and he took no further 

 part in the proceedings. The victorious bird rushed 

 back up the side of the knoll, and immediately fought 

 the remaining cock, who had not moved from his 

 original position, putting him to flight, and chasing 

 him in and out of the crowd, the fugitive doubling 



39 



