90 THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 



his numerous dames, and the Guinea fowl to court his 

 single mate, uninterrupted ; but if the one presumes 

 upon his superior weight, and the other on his cowardly 

 tiltings from behind, he soon makes them smart for their 

 rash presumption. His politeness to females is as 

 marked as were Lord Chesterfield's attentions to old 

 ladies, and much more unaffected. Nor does he merely 

 act the agreeable dangler ; when occasion requires, he 

 is also the brave defender." 



Much has been said relative to the selection of the 

 cock ; but all, in the end, come to one point. What- 

 ever be the breed to which he belongs, he should ex- 

 hibit the distinctive characters of that breed in full 

 perfection. He should be bold, lively, clean made, 

 with close, glossy plumage, a high head, short bill, and 

 a bright eye ; the color of his comb and wattles of a 

 rich, shining vermilion ; his crow should be clear, loud, 

 shrill, and long-drawn ; his breast, broad and fleshy ; 

 his thighs, muscular, firm, and covered with feathers ; 

 his insteps and ankle joints, stout ; his claws and spurs, 

 strong, pointed, and slightly hooked; and lastly, he 

 should carry himself with a proud, yet graceful air, and 

 should be in perfect health. 



Some cocks, especially when they are getting past 

 their prime, say at the age of five or six years, are 

 unsocial, vicious, and tyrannical. Instead of scraping 

 up delicacies for the hens, and collecting them around 

 him by a clucking note of invitation, the surly bird 

 attacks them without provocation, tears their combs, 

 and otherwise injures them. Let such a despot be 

 dethroned from his proud eminence as soon as possible. 

 On the other hand, a young cock, in his prime, will 

 sometimes take a hatred to some particular hen, and 

 treat her with marked antipathy, although he will con- 

 duct himself towards the rest of his coterie with a 

 grace becoming to a gallant cavalier. The entire life 

 of the domestic cock, however, shows that he is a most 

 excellent family man, placing his whole care and study 

 in providing all necessaries for his household. For this 

 bird devotes whatever energy he has, the live-long day, 



