62 ANIMAL PAINTERS 



cessful endeavours to produce a new variety of 

 cattle called the " Dishley cattle," or the "new 

 Leicestershire Longhorn." The breed has now 

 died out, but it was probably a typical specimen 

 which Best was commissioned to paint. 



The first volume of the Sporting Magazine, 

 published in 1792, contains two plates from pic- 

 tures by Best, viz., "Gamecocks" engraved by 

 Cook. These are portraits of two birds which 

 achieved great fame in the cockpit ; one is of a 

 Birchin Yellow in full plumage : this cock fought 

 eleven battles, and was then withdrawn from 

 active service to be used as a brood cock. His 

 produce proved worthy of him, for we read that 

 thirty-six of them fought in one main in the 

 Royal Pit, Westminster, and that thirty-two of 

 them won their battles. The other picture shows 

 a Ginger Red Cock cut or trimmed in readiness 

 for the pit : this bird also fought at Westminster, 

 and won a battle in which he was backed at 20 

 to I : this bird was also a winner at Guildford 

 in the following year. 



No record of Best's later career — if indeed the 

 above outline does not reflect the whole — nor of 

 the date of his death, can be traced. 



