224 THE GAME FOWL. 



after which one or two of these returned, and one, two, or 

 three others immediately took their places ; party succeeding 

 party, till most, if not all, had had their share in the sport. 

 The captain remained stationary. The engagement was in 

 this manner kept up by different detachments, the Dogs con- 

 tinuing their amusement in playfulness and good humour, 

 though not without much barking and noise, for about a 

 quarter of an hour, when the whole of them dispersed, and 

 took the way to their respective homes in a less hasty manner 

 than they had arrived." 



Allowing for the inferior intelligence of Fowls, many of the 

 gambols of chickens are similar to this. The Cock of the 

 Walk never interferes with such harmless frolics, which he 

 would do if they threatened any thing serious. Were I to 

 compare the temperament of Game Fowls with that of the 

 human race, I should say they had not one atom of the lym- 

 phatic in their composition, but a happy combination of the 

 sanguine and the nervous. The Game breed, among Fowls, 

 has been likened to the Arabian, among Horses. Their frame 

 is compacted of solid flesh and gristle : even the feathers of 

 the Game Cock (excepting the standards and the hackle) fit 

 very tightly and closely to the body of the bird, giving it, 

 when in high condition, a sort of crustaceous or even ena- 

 melled appearance, as if it were a piece of living Japan-work. 



But though we wish to clear the Game breeds from the 

 charge of blood-thirsty cruelty, we cannot hold them out as 

 patterns of gentleness and forbearance. Might, with them, 

 makes right. None but the brave, however well they may 

 deserve, or how much soever they may long for, are likely to 

 enjoy, any favour from the present class of rusty-fusty coloured 

 beauties. Quiet people, unless they have studied Phrenology, 

 or kept Game Fowls, have little idea how close a connexion 

 there is said to be between love and murder. But the ladies 

 have long found it out ; there is no sweetheart like a soldier. 



