222 THE GAME FOWL. 



knock of a manly knuckle on the table. Old Nash was mix- 

 ing bread and milk for his feathered family. 



Now hear what Mr. Dixon says concerning the Game Cock : 

 The Game Cock is by no means the aggressive, sanguinary 

 tyrant that he is commonly represented to be. He will sub- 

 mit to no insult or intrusion within his own domain; but 

 neither does he offer any unprovoked assault. If his antago- 

 nist flee, he is satisfied, and does not pursue him in order to 

 perpetrate any bloody revenge. Other poultry that are killed 

 by Game Cocks, generally draw down the punishment upon 

 themselves, by their own impudent and continued aggression. 

 The bird, too, is as enduring of pain as he is bold in combat. 

 We were compelled, to prevent mischief, by amputating the 

 spurs of a Game Cock : he bore the operation, and the subse- 

 quent application of hot iron to prevent bleeding, without a 

 sound or a murmur ; and when set down iji the midst of his 

 Hens, was as lofty and imperious in his carriage as ever. 

 "Avis pugnax," "the pugnacious bird," is a term applied by 

 Aldrovandi, not to fighting Cocks, but to Ruffs and Reeves. 

 A false notion of their savage disposition is also derived from 

 the sight of the sparrings of the half-grown chickens : but the 

 Pullets will indulge in this game as well as the Cockerels. It 

 is very rarely that mischief is meant by such tiltings. We 

 might remember that the play of all young animals is a sham- 

 fight. Young Lambs run races to obtain possession of a hil- 

 lock, from which the strongest will rebut the weak. Puppies 

 snarl, and growl, and snap, and struggle, all in perfect good- 

 nature. Kittens will roll over each other, and grapple, and 

 show in sport the best method of disembowelling an enemy 

 with their hind claws, if one of the playmates were but a rat. 

 Even boys can play at French and English ; and a couple of 

 Cockerels will often stand beak to beak, making two or three 

 jumps with outstretched neck and ruffled hackle, but with no 



