FEATHERED ATHLETES 83 



double-spurred peacock has, as his name implies, 

 two on each leg; other birds have three, and the 

 blood-pheasant has sometimes as many as five. 

 Cock-fighters of the human world have cruelly 

 learned how to plant a spur in a game-cock's head 

 in such a way that it will grow, and curve directly 

 over the bird's eyes. In this case, it serves to dig 

 out the eyes of his opponent in battle. Again, 

 sharp steel spurs are often buckled on a rooster's 

 feet, and serve to slice open his enemy. This form 

 of heathenish sport is fast disappearing, even in 

 Mexico, where it has been the twin-sport of bull- 

 fighting for many years. 



Spurs ordinarily are developed only among the 

 male of a species, as they are the champions of tribe 

 rights and must defend the females. However, 

 this is not always the case : sometimes, as in the case 

 of the Indian spur-fowl, the female has spurs. The 

 French partridge has a knob in place of a spur, and 

 guinea fowls have the same defensive weapons. 



Many fighters prefer to use their beaks as 

 weapons of defence. Among these may be men- 

 tioned redbirds, blackbirds, crows, starlings, 

 finches, blue- jays, and numerous others of the 

 small tribes. While the beak is the chief weapon, 

 each bird also uses his wings to buffet the enemy, 



