80 COMBATIVE PROPENSITIES. 



less on liis guard than at other times ; still, even then, 

 if he were incautiously approached by the fowler, he 

 would soon let it be known that he was in full possession 

 of his auditory organs. 



So soon as the birds have alighted at the pairing- 

 ground, the old cocks begin to " kuttra " and " blilsa," 

 and to make love to the hens, to which the latter are 

 nothing loth ; or to give cliase to rivals. Whilst the cock 

 is thus parading to and fro, with his neck stretched out, 

 his wings trailing on the ground, and his expanded tail 

 raised nearly at right angles to his body, he frequently 

 vaults high in the air, and in the while so "slews" his body 

 round that on alighting again his head is turned in an 

 opposite direction. At such times the young cocks keep 

 at a respectful distance from the old ones, and "kuttra" 

 and " blilsa," fighting the while amongst themselves.* 



Desperate combats between the cocks are frequent at 

 the " lek-stalle." They not only savagely charge each 

 other, but make such effectual use of both bills and claws 

 that the feathers fly in every direction. The victory 

 usually rests with the bird that succeeds in getting sure 

 hold of the head of his antagonist, whom he then drags 

 about the arena until fairly tired out, and who, w^hen 

 released, is pretty sure to take wing and fly away. 



Battles royal between the congregated cocks are also 

 not uncommon, and one may sometimes see several 

 engaged in a regular melee, tumbling over one another. 



* Some will liave it tliat, at the pairing ground, there is one okl cock 

 in particular, called the Spel-orre, wlio takes command over the rest, and 

 who may readily be known by being the first to arrive at the lek, and to 

 "open the ball." This bird, they say, should not be killed, as in that case 

 the total dispei'sion of the lek would probably be the immediate consequence. 

 But others laugh at this notion, and shoot the first cock that happens to 

 come in their wav. 



