CHAP. III.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 65 



their own restless jealousy of disposition ; 

 for no sooner does a stranger cock appear 

 among hens which are already provided with 

 a male protector, than the latter instantly 

 attacks the intruder upon his rights of cap- 

 tainship. The rivals face each other with an 

 air of stern defiance : the neck stretched out, 

 the feathers ruffled, and the head bent down 

 in readiness to give a blow ; they scratch the 

 ground as if to sharpen their claws, and at 

 length dart upon each other with such despe- 

 rate fury, that both are soon severely wounded. 

 The strongest of course gains the victory ; 

 and if he can throw his antagonist down, or 

 fly upon him, strikes his spurs into the fallen 

 enemy with such force as sometimes to kill 

 him. The victorious hero then stands over 

 the body, clapping his wings, and crowing 

 with the exultation of his triumph ; while his 

 vanquished adversary, if still alive, slinks away 

 abashed by his defeat, without ever again 

 contesting the supremacy of his conqueror. 



Such, indeed, is the untameable pugnacity 

 of the game-breed, that* even chickens are 

 constantly quarrelling and fighting among 

 each other with such fierceness as not unfi:'e- 



