52 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. ii. 



of which will be a battle between the two 

 aspirants for their favour, and the conqueror 

 should be selected ; for, as M. Parmentier 

 justly remarks, " hens, like all females, ever 

 prefer the male who displays the most courage 

 and spirit." This, however, should be done 

 only in company with those hens to which the 

 victor is to be attached ; for if there be many 

 more, they will of course be accompanied by 

 a male, who, having already fought his way 

 to the vaunted honour of being " cock of the 

 walk," will suifer no rival within his domain, 

 and these young cocks will submit without a 

 struggle to his already acknowledged supe- 

 riority. It is, nevertheless, sometimes not easy 

 to decide between the combatants, and until 

 it is ascertained which has the palm of con- 

 quest, there will be no peace in the yard. 

 Wherefore, ungenerous as it may be to favour 

 the strong instead of the weak, the most pru- 

 dent mode of settling the quarrel is to take 

 part with the stoutest cock, by buffeting the 

 other with your glove, while struck by his 

 antagonist, until he yields the battle. The 

 new cock (whether the trial to which we have 

 alluded be made or not) should be admitted 



