THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 293 



Eclipse is, to this day, entailed on some of his blood, 

 although distant several generations from the original." 



" Similar phenomena," observed Houghton, " are observ- 

 able in flowers. What florists call ' a run flower,' is one 

 which 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 bizarre." 



" 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 

 you for I have often seen him in a cock-pit 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 direc- 

 tion 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 was sure it warn't cruel." 



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

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

 thinking mind, nothing is more astounding than that 

 early instinct which impresses young animals with the 

 notion of the situation of their natural weapons, in the 

 first place, and, in the next, of using them, even before 

 they are propefly formed for a young cock will spur at 

 his adversary before his spurs are grown out, and a calf, 

 or lamb, will push or butt with their heads before their 

 horns are sprouted I fear we have no right wantonly to 

 expose one animal to the fury of another. But so it will 

 be to the end of time. That perfect calm, that uninter- 

 rupted felicity which some persons would wish to in- 

 troduce into the world, is but a chimera a beautiful one, 

 I allow but only appearing possible to those who judge 

 of things according to their imagination alone ; since 

 everyone who forms a cool judgment on the subject will 

 see that the earth was never designed for such a state." 



" I do not quite agree with you, Hargrave," observed 

 Lord Edmonston ; " I think " 



