THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



record. An einineiit biecdcr of oame-i'owls had preserved an 

 invariable production of what are called black-breasted reds 

 durino- fifteen years, but in the sixteenth he had several light 

 piles in one hatch, or brood. iVo change of eggs could have 

 taken i:)lace, nor was there a possibility of the access of any 

 other cock to his hens. On looking back, however, he ascer- 

 tained that, five years previously to his having his original breed 

 out of Shropshire, there had been a cross of a Cheshire pile in 

 the hens. Thus, it appears, the plumage had remained perfect 

 for twenty-one years.' 



' A most singular fact, undoubtedly,' said Lord Edmonston. 

 ' But I understand the same phenomenon occasionally occurs 

 in horses. I am told, that not only does the colour often go 

 back to a very distant cross, but that a small dark-coloured 

 spot on the hinder quarters of Eclipse is, to this day, entailed 

 on some of his blood, although distant several generations from 

 the original' 



' Similar phenomena,' observed Houghton, ' are observable in 

 flowers. What florists call a " run flower," is one wdiicli has the 

 inherent vice of changing colour, with little chance of regaining 

 its primitive and valuable brilliancy. In a perfect flower, every 

 leaf should be striped according to its class, whether flake or 

 bizaune.' 



' Well,' said Jem, ' I cannot talk with you gentlemen on these 

 matters — because why, you know, I am no scholard, but there is 

 one point you haven't touched upon, concerning cock-fighting. 

 Mr. Hargrave here will tell yo\x — for I have often seen him 

 in a cockpit — that cocks show as much skill, in defence and 

 attack, as the best prize-fighters of the day, and, like them, 

 their blows have more or less force, according to their better 

 skill. If a cock's legs are out of the direction of his body, we 

 call him a dry-spurred or dry-heeled cock, because he can't hit 

 to do much harm. He seldom carries death with his heels. 

 On the contrary, if his legs are in a proper direction with his 

 body, he stands erect, rises high, is a close hitter, and generally 

 wins his battle, and in a short time too. Oh ! it is a fine sight 

 to see a set-to between two such cocks as this, and I wish I w^as 

 sure it w^arn't cruel.' 



' As for that, Jem,' said Hargrave, ' I fear we cannot 

 divest it of a certain portion of cruelty. Although, to a 

 tliinking mind, nothing is more astounding than that early 



297 



