170 NETHER LOCHABER. 



court might have as little unnecessary trouble as possible, rarely 

 eating anything himself until they had first of all picked the best 

 and biggest share ; and if he came across any dainty tit-bit that 

 his followers had overlooked, he took it up in his bill, and by 

 certain peculiar notes reserved for such occasions, called them 

 around him, dropping the toothsome morsel with strict impartiality 

 at his feet, to be picked up by the first to respond to his summons. 

 Now all this is changed. They may sun and dust themselves when 

 and where they please, or not at all, for all he cares. Instead of 

 being the active leader and gallant protector in feeding excursions, 

 he is content to be no more than as any other of the band, exhibit- 

 ing the utmost selfishness and greed in gobbling up the first grain- 

 pickle or earthworm that comes in the way, nor is he, proh 

 pudor ! ashamed even to cuff and drive away his decidedly better 

 halves, when the mean wretch has, by accident rather than by any 

 diligence of his own, fallen on a good scratching-place. Neither do 

 you find in the cock of the present day the pugnacity and pluck, 

 the indomitable courage and love of warfare, once so characteristic 

 of the genus, from the tiniest bantam to the lordliest gamecock, 

 that would rather die than cry quarter or show the white feather to 

 an opponent. We don't suppose that the reader, any more than 

 ourselves, has seen a cock-fight for years ; not from any elevation 

 of morals, we submit, in Monsieur Gallus, or increase at all of 

 amiability, but from sheer poltroonery and want of pluck. He 

 will still bully about among his hens, and fight with them, and we 

 have seen some of them turn upon him and give him a good 

 drubbing, as he deserved ; but a fair stand-up fight with another 

 cock oh no, we never mention it ! he has still the spurs, but no 

 longer the heart for it. When afield at the head of his following, 

 if the shadow of a suspicious bird on wing, as likely to be a crow 

 as a gled or hawk, or other bird of prey, passes along, instead of 

 the old warning note to his wives, with preparation on his own part 



